With love, Harry
by TheMidgetTitanSlayer
Summary: In which Harry goes back in time, adopts his arch nemesis and pulls one infamous Dark Lord into his madness somewhere along the way. "Surprise! Tom, meet your grandfather!" "Harry. That's Gellert Grindelwald." "I know. Isn't it exciting? And he'll be tutoring you to be the greatest Dark Lord ever!" "What?" TimeTravelAU. MOD!Harry. Not Slash. (Undergoing edits, will UPDATE EVERYDAY)
1. Chapter 1

**With love, Harry**

* * *

 **Summary:**

In which Harry goes back in time, adopts his arch nemesis and pulls one infamous Dark Lord into his madness somewhere along the way.

"Surprise! Tom, meet your grandfather!"

"Harry. That's Gellert Grindelwald."

"I know. Isn't it exciting!? And he'll be tutoring you to be the greatest Dark Lord ever!"

" _What?"_

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling is the boss of it all.

 **Warning:** Grammar, perhaps?

* * *

 **One**

* * *

"Who are you?"

"I'm Harry."

"Just Harry?"

The stranger's green, green eyes sparkled with amusement as he replied with a nod. "Yes. _Just_ Harry."

"Oh."

Tom paused, not knowing what to make of the young man no older than twenty who had suddenly dropped down from a tree.

Today was a Saturday; one of those rare Saturdays when the children of Wool's Orphanage were taken out for a picnic in the outskirts of London, to be precise.

Once they had reached their destination after a rather long bus ride, Tom Marvolo Riddle, the resident of room number twenty-seven, separated himself from the group. He chose to stick close to the trees instead in hopes of finding a snake to have a conversation with. Admittedly, most reptiles rarely had anything intelligent to say but sometimes, _just_ _sometimes_ , he would find one or two who he could actually put up a decent conversation with.

And that was when " _Harry"_ appeared before him.

 _Landing face first on the ground with a groan._

Tom was amazed the young man hadn't broken his nose with such a spectacular fall.

"What...are you?" Tom curiously tilted his head to the side as he watched the other take on a sitting position on the spread of green grass. No ordinary human would have, after all, just dropped down from a tree.

"A wood nymph." Harry replied almost instantly before pausing. "But you won't tell the other humans, would you?"

Tom frowned. "Nymphs are female."

He knew this because of this one book on Greek mythology that he kept close to his side back in the orphanage. It was the only one that had many words useful for increasing his vocabulary. The other books in the library were mostly stories for children, and that meant they were written in a straightforward manner.

With words he was already familiar with.

Harry blinked. "Ah. They are, aren't they?" He tilted his head up to narrow his eyes at the foliage of the tree he sat under. "But they wouldn't let go of me, you see. And they keep insisting that I am one of them, _fratribus_ this and _fratribus_ that, gods they're really clingy creatures. I just managed to get away." He ended up muttering more to himself than to Tom with an almost pained expression. "I hope they leave me alone now."

 _[*fratribus: brethren in Latin]_

"You are lying."

Harry turned to him with a look of surprise, one that _clearly_ said he forgotten the boy was there.

The two stared at each other for a few brief seconds.

"I could show you something as proof if you want." The _wood nymph_ 's lips split into a grin as he stretched out a hand to him. "Here, give me your hand."

Tom knew it was common sense to not listen to strangers, or even talk to them in the first place. And this young man before him clearly seemed like a lunatic.

After all, nymphs were just myths.

But albeit being suspicious, he was still curious.

Tom hesitated before stretching out his hand. He jerked when the nymph suddenly took hold of it, partly out of his surprise that the nymph's hands were warm and mostly because he was wary of him.

Harry closed his eyes as he cupped both his hands over the boy's open palm. He seemed to be in some sort of deep concentration while murmuring under his breath. And Tom couldn't help but watch on in fascination as a cool sensation spread over his hand that slowly started to glow a faint green.

When the nymph removed his hands, a gasp involuntarily left Tom.

There was a tiny seedling resting in the palm of his hand, transforming into what seemed to be a flower.

A pretty blue flower.

Unbeknownst to the young boy, Harry was watching him with a soft smile playing on his lips and an equally fascinated look that mirrored Tom's.

Tom looked up from the now fully grown flower to the nymph and asked in an almost breathless voice, " _How_?"

"I told you I'm a wood nymph." Harry shrugged with a grin. "A _rare_ wood nymph, seeing that all nymphs are _female,_ like you pointed out."

"What else can you do?" Tom blurted out before he could stop himself.

Harry laughed and Tom's cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment.

"A lot." The nymph replied before Tom could take back his words. He patted the empty spot next to him. "Come sit here, I'll show you."

For the next hour, Tom Riddle sat by Harry's side, marvelling at all the tricks and show of "magic" _(as the nymph had termed it)_ up his sleeve.

The boy even fetched his share of lunch as quickly as he could before hurrying back to the nymph's side, simply not wanting to miss anything Harry had to show.

(He even ended up having to share his sandwich after losing a debate that nymphs were purely vegetarian.

Harry had said he was an exception and that he _loved_ ham.)

Strangely enough, no one bothered the two or even strayed over; it almost felt like they were invisible to the other children. Not like that was a bad thing.

No, it was rather peaceful and nice.

After another hour, it was finally time for the children to head back to the orphanage.

"Do you think we might meet each other again?" Tom asked as he stared into Harry's green, green eyes.

He felt a strange sort of attachment to the nymph. Maybe it was because no one else treated him like Harry did. After all, he had no friends back in the orphanage.

They called him strange.

 _A freak_.

But Harry didn't.

Harry looked to him as a friend.

Harry actually seemed to _care_.

"I don't know if I'll ever be able to return here. Or if we might even be taken out for another picnic for the rest of this year, as a matter of fact."

"Wow. You're so smart, Tom." Harry said as he ruffled up the boy's hair, laughing when his hand was swatted away by the frowning boy. "Impressive. That's what makes you so _special_."

Tom looked annoyed but was strangely pleased on the inside at the praise.

Harry had acknowledged him.

And Harry said he was special.

"We'll meet again." The nymph smiled. "Soon."

Tom nodded before heading off to join the others without another word.

Harry smile stretched into a grin when Tom paused in his steps and turned around.

"You promise?"

"I promise!"

When the boy walked out of his sight, Harry gave a deep sigh and turned to the woods with a frown.

"I know you're hiding in there."

A beautiful lady stepped out from behind a tree.

And as though following her lead, more than a dozen women with equally dazzling beauty stepped out from behind the cluster of trees with playful smiles on their faces.

"Why can't you people leave me alone?" Harry groaned. "And for the last time: I. Am. Not. A. Nymph."

"But Master Harry just told the child of man that he was one of us." One of them said as she sashayed over to him, a mischievous look painting her features.

"Have you ever heard that it's really rude to listen in on other people's conversations— hey! Woah, wait! What are you doing!? Put me down!"

"Come my sisters, Master Harry has finally accepted that he is our _fratribus_. We must celebrate!"

"No, hold on a second— ugh, Death! Come help me, you stinking bastard, for Merlin's sake! _DEATH_!"

* * *

The next time Tom met Harry was on the day he turned eight.

The boy had been out in the snow, heading over to the library closest to the orphanage. Of course it usually stayed closed during this time of the year, but the owner made a special exception for Tom ever since she had discovered that New Year's Eve was his birthday.

He had gone out in such a hurry after being granted permission from Mrs. Cole and had thus forgotten to take his scarf along.

And this was why Tom could be seen walking with a frown while absentmindedly rubbing his neck, hoping to warm it up somehow— when he bumped into a person.

"Sorry, sir." He immediately apologized.

"Tom. Where's your scarf?"

His head immediately snapped up to look at the person who had just chastised him. " _Harry_?"

It had been a whole year since their last encounter but Harry still looked the same as he did when they first met.

 _Was it a nymph's secret?_

"Honestly, I had thought you to be more responsible." The nymph huffed as he tugged his own scarf off his neck and proceeded to wind it round Tom's. "Children are more prone to falling ill. Remember that and start taking better care of yourself."

The boy blinked. "What are you doing here?"

"Am I not allowed to take a walk through the streets of the _muggl_ — London?"

"But—"

"Oh, come on." Harry sighed. "I told you I'm a _rare_ wood nymph. And besides, my companions have long fallen asleep because of this winter spell." He said as he waved his hand around to gesture at the snow that was gently falling. "It gets lonely without having anyone to talk to."

"Oh." Tom replied, unsure of what to say.

"So, where are you going?" The nymph asked with a bright grin.

"The library."

Harry snorted, quickly turning it into a cough when Tom shot him a glare.

"Of all places? And on your birthday?" Harry gasped rather dramatically. "Come on, there should be something more interesting to do than _that_."

Tom narrowed his eyes. "How do you know it's my birthday?"

"Tom. I just _know_ things, alright?" Harry grinned. "Just how many times am I going to have to tell you how special I am?"

The boy stayed quiet, wondering what to say before placing a hand on the soft white scarf round his neck. "I'll return this to you—"

"Keep it." Harry shook his head. "Think of it as my birthday gift to you, okay?"

Tom's eyes widened. The only gifts he had ever received were hand-me downs from the orphanage, or cheap stationery.

Never something like _this_.

Something that made him feel...loved.

(And it smelled faintly sweet like flowers, like _Harry_.)

"The woodland elves weave the finest clothes in the whole of the woods in Switzerland." Harry said as he fondly ruffled Tom's hair. "They gifted it to me when I visited their palace once upon a time."

"They live in palaces?" The boy asked, clearly intrigued.

"Big ones. Massive in structure and very cunningly hidden from the eye of men." The nymph hummed before taking Tom by the hand, much to the boy's surprise. "Come, let us go somewhere to eat. You haven't had lunch yet, have you? I'll tell you all about them while we eat, consider it another birthday present from me to you."

Tom felt warmth grow within him.

"Okay."

And it was the best birthday he had ever had for the first time in his life.

* * *

" _This_ one."

The man had unearthly pale skin. His jet black hair that was slid back gave him the look of an aristocrat. It was not just his hair but the way he carried himself too. And the big ring strange ring adorning the finger pointed at Tom.

"Sir, but this boy is—"

"I said I _want_ him." The man shot a cold look at Mrs. Cole who involuntarily took a step back. "Is there some kind of problem with my choice?"

Mrs. Cole visibly paled. "N-No, sir. Of course not. I'll prepare the papers now."

The man turned his attention back to Tom with a smirk. "I assume you must be Tom Riddle?"

The boy frowned but stopped himself from giving a rude reply. "Yes, sir."

"Hmm, you appear _scrawnier_ than I expected you to be."

"Do you know of me, sir?"

"Yes, I do." The man nodded as he absentmindedly watched the other children file out of the waiting room, leaving the two alone to themselves. "My... _wife_ speaks rather fondly of you."

"Wife…sir? I do not remember meeting any lady who would be fond of me. Perhaps you have the wrong child?"

"You don't seem excited to be adopted." The man tilted his head to the side. "Were you perhaps waiting for _someone else_ to come along and take you away?"

Tom clenched his fists but said nothing.

"Stubborn." The man smirked before turning his attention over to Mrs. Cole who had re-entered the room.

"Go and pack your belongings, Tom." The woman instructed stiffly.

"Yes, Mrs. Cole."

He left the room and returned with a small suitcase in his hand after almost half an hour. By then, the formalities of his adoption were already complete.

For some reason, his name was to remain the same.

When he looked up in confusion at his now adoptive father, the man's smirk simply widened.

"Well, come along." The man said as he turned and began to head towards the door.

"My wife is so _eager_ to meet you, again."

* * *

 **A/N:**

So this is just me, testing the waters in the Harry Potter fandom (which I got pulled into just last year and I don't regret it at all) with my first HP fanfic :'D lol

Do leave your opinions in the review, I delight in reading reviews!

AND THANK YOU FOR READING AND GIVING THIS A TRY! ^^

 **[Edit: 21-01-2019]** phew, with this New Year, I decided to run this fanfic through with some edits. Remove unnecessary bits and refine other part while try and recover from this writer's block I'm suffering from *sighs*. Do bear out patiently through this with me! Thank you! The other chapters will be updated every day until I get to the latest release!


	2. Chapter 2

**With love, Harry**

* * *

 **Summary:**

In which Harry goes back in time, adopts his arch nemesis and pulls one infamous Dark Lord into his madness somewhere along the way.

"Surprise! Tom, meet your grandfather!"

"Harry. That's Gellert Grindelwald."

"I know. Isn't it exciting!? And he'll be tutoring you to be the greatest Dark Lord ever!"

" _What?"_

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling is the boss of it all.

 **Warning:** Grammar, perhaps?

* * *

 **A/N:**

If you got the mail for this chapter update and are confused, I already put up a brief explanation in the first chapter but I'll do it again here- I decided to run this fanfic through with some edits this year and try to get over with the writer's block I'm caught up in while I'm at it.

While I could have simply re-edited the work without deleting all nine chapters, I'm making changes (some of which might not be too obvious while others will be) which I actually want people to read so yeah, please bear with me :')

Thank you!

* * *

 **Two**

* * *

Tom stared out the window of the moving vehicle.

It seemed to be the latest model of automobiles that had just recently come into the market. Not that he was a fan of vehicles; he just happened to be aware of whatever took place around him, after all, it never hurt to be informed.

"You're so quiet." The man ( _should_ _he_ _call_ _him_ _father now_?) broke the silence that had been hanging heavy in the air. "I expected you to...ask a lot of questions."

"It seems you expect a lot from me, sir."

"I do, considering how _often_ my wife talks of you."

Tom frowned.

And now it came to the question of just who this _wife_ was.

He had tried to think of any possible female who had been particularly fond of him but unfortunately, none came to mind. Well, except for the old librarian. No offense to Mrs Margaret, but she was definitely not at a stage of life where she would be willing to adopt him.

Lest be the wife of this pale man who was obviously younger to her by decades.

"Ah. Here we are."

Tom who had been staring at his hands during the past few minutes of his musings immediately snapped his head up at the man's statement.

To his surprise, the whole scenery outside had changed. They were no longer in the crowded street of London but rather, the vehicle appeared to be driving down a stony pathway covered with trees on both sides.

"Impossible." Tom breathed out as his eyes widened.

"Surprised?" The man smirked. "Don't be. You'll have to get used to seeing things that are much more surprising than just a simple transportation trick."

Tom couldn't help but feel a little confused over the pale man's statement.

The car pulled over in front of a lavishly huge mansion styled in Gothic architecture with steeples and stained glass windows. It almost seemed like a house straight out of a horror novel Tom had come across during his search for something educational among the stack of old books in the library. It wouldn't have looked welcoming at all if not for the variety of blooming flowers that decorated the mansion with colour and life.

"Young master." The chauffeur greeted Tom as he held the door open for him.

The boy nodded back rather awkwardly as he stepped out of the car. "Thank you."

His adoptive father seemed amused by it all. "Come along then."

Tom obediently followed, not wanting to lose himself in a place as big as this.

The inside of the mansion was a complete contrast to its outer appearance. The floor was covered with lovely white marble and the chandelier hanging right above the huge foyer, a dazzling gold. Everything on the inside, in fact, seemed to be shiny and bright.

"Honey, I brought back your precious little _Tommy_. Come greet him." The pale man declared as he shut the front door behind them. "I picked him up just for _you_."

At the sound of footsteps, Tom curiously turned his head towards the foyer―

"Ah, Tom! Finally, we get to meet each other again!"

―only to see a very beautiful woman with eyes as clear as the morning sky. Her long golden hair was braided to the side and decorated with little white flowers, and her lips wore the most bewitching smile he'd ever seen.

Tom stiffened, completely aware that he had never once chanced upon this woman. Why was she acting so familiar with him? His eyes briefly narrowed. Was this a ploy? Some kind of sick setup the orphanage had staged just to get him away from the other children?

Was this some kind of a correctional institute he'd once heard the older boys talk about?

He only snapped out of his thoughts when a cold hand pressed against his cheek. The woman ( _was she supposed to be his mother now?)_ was now standing right in front of him, bend over to match his height as she stared at him with a bizarre look of fascination in her eyes.

Tom's instant reaction was to flinch rather violently.

"Clymene." His adoptive father's suddenly snapped rather harshly. "Don't _touch_ the boy; you'll sully him with all the dirt you carry around. And where is your master?"

The woman turned to the man with a sneer. "What do you mean I can't touch him, Septhis?"

"My, have you forgotten how to comprehend even those simple words?"

Tom blinked at the uncouth manner the two before him addressed each other.

 _Weren't they husband and wife?_

She huffed. "Stop being so stingy. You're always hogging everything to yourself, even Harry."

 _Harry?_

In the next moment, before he could even have a chance to mull over the familiar name, Tom found himself in an uncomfortable situation where the woman had abruptly tugged him into a half embrace. His adoptive father's glance visibly darkened. "Oh, Clymene. I would advise you to release him before I damn you and your sisters―"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake!" A very familiar voice exclaimed and in a flash, Tom was ripped away from the woman's grasp and engulfed in another embrace— a very warm and soothing one that he very much welcomed. "Just leave him alone the two of you!"

Tom was starting to get annoyed at the amount of surprises that were being thrown his way today.

But even so, he didn't hesitate to take advantage of this _particular_ surprise and withdrew deeper into its warmth. He looked up and found himself staring at his own reflection in the clear green, green eyes that stared at him, wide in concern.

"Are you okay, Tom? Did Septhis hurt you? _Merlin,_ I will—"

"I find it highly unfair how I'm the only one who's being blamed here."

"Of course he would blame you."

"Hello, _Harry_." Tom Riddle managed a weak smile, suddenly feeling very exhausted over how things had progressed.

His mind was still reeling, trying to process all that had taken place.

The nymph sighed in relief before sweeping the boy up into his arms, cradling him close to his chest as he did. Tom lightly exhaled in contentment.

"I'll take you to your room, you must be very tired." Harry said. "And I'll explain everything after you take a good rest. I promise."

Tom responded with a nod, he felt too drained to talk.

"I was actually prepared to come pick you up with a whole surprise plan and everything but Deat—...er... _Septhis_ just had to go on ahead without me and ruined the whole damned bloody thing." Harry shot a glare at the said man who only shrugged. He began making his way up the stairs while talking to Tom. "And I'm sorry about Clymene. She hasn't met another human in quite a while so she probably got a little too excited. If she ever bothers you again, just try and ignore her. That usually works half of the time."

Harry's words were beginning to sound distant to Tom.

He gradually found himself drifting off to sleep— unaware that the nymph's hand placed against his back glowed faintly.

* * *

After Tom woke from his little nap that lasted for about half a day, Harry had kindly clarified a lot of things for him as well as given him a new load of information that left his head reeling yet again. He was pretty sure he would be knocked out the moment he lay his head down to sleep later on his ridiculously large bed.

One of the clarifications was that of the identity of his adoptive father, which Septhis Mortimer was not.

Harry (whose last name was now apparently _Mortimer_ too) was.

The "wife" whom Septhis had been referring to this whole time was actually Harry (who looked so _scandalized_ on hearing this) and not Clymene.

Harry also went on to clarify that they simply _shared_ the same surname. They were _not_ brothers, there was _no_ matrimony involved, and in _no way_ did they harbour any romantic feelings for each other.

 _At all_.

(Tom would deny feeling pleased at the assurance.)

Septhis was human (but Tom somehow doubted this because the man himself had snorted at the nymph's words), and so was the butler who was currently away, carrying out some errand at the moment.

When Tom asked why Harry had adopted him, a human of all creatures, the nymph only smiled and gave him a mischievous wink.

"I'll tell you one day," he had said.

Clymene was also a nymph, which explained her ethereal beauty.

She, however, was not a resident of the mansion. Septhis had called her a freeloader who liked to drop by and hang around quite frequently up to the extent that she even owned a room in the mansion. The pale man then scoffed and said called her the most shameless out of all the nymphs that frequented the mansion.

This was how Tom realised that Septhis was not fond of nymphs— _but was still tolerant of Harry?_

Harry then told him that they were now residing within the territory of the nature spirits. In a realm that lay hidden from the eye of mortal men deep in the woods of Ireland but he did not bother to specify where exactly.

And when Tom asked him just how on earth had they managed to land up all the way into Ireland from London in mere minutes, Harry just grinned and replied, " _Magic_."

Tom had not entirely understood Harry's words until the moment Septhis had declared it was time they told him a specific something.

Harry opened his mouth to say that it was a little too early to break the news to Tom when the pale man met his eyes and shit him a dangerous smiled. In the next moment, Harry was left grumbling under his breath over how "controlling" Septhis was.

(Tom later found out that the two had communicated through something akin to telepathy.

Harry had been sure to emphasis heavily on each and every one of his words when he explained this to Tom. This happened after the boy casually asked them why they simply stared at each other as though they were "star struck".)

With Harry made to shut up, Septhis turned to Tom and uttered "three words" which changed his life.

 _Forever_.

"You're a wizard."

Tom always knew he was special.

* * *

"So, when do I get to go to this Hogwarts?" Tom asked as the _family_ of three sat together round the dining table for supper.

(Calling themselves family was quite questionable at the moment, but Harry had insisted on it.

Then when Tom had asked what Septhis's role was in this so called family, Harry had replied " _Uncle_ " while the other said " _Godfather_ " in the same moment. This resulted in another one of their intense staring matches before Harry relented while grumbling that there was hardly a difference between being an _uncle_ and being the _godfather_.

Septhis seemed ready to lay out a table of facts before Harry and prove him wrong but refrained from doing so to retain his sanity.)

Hogwarts was apparently a school for the children of the wizarding world; a great and reputed one among the only seven other wizarding schools in existence. Harry had said it was one of the most wonderful places to be in, and Tom wondered if witches and wizards weren't the only ones who were allowed to attend Hogwarts. He decided he would clarify his questions soon.

He was, after all, very curious of this place _Harry_ seemed to love.

"When you're eleven." Harry replied as he turned to Tom with a neatly sliced piece of steak on his fork. He hesitated for a moment before offering it to the boy. "Here, open your mouth."

The boy blinked. " _Harry_ , I can eat on my own―"

"Say aaaaah!" Harry stubbornly persisted, interrupting the boy.

Tom stared into those green, green orbs and then down to the fork before looking at those eyes again. He slowly opened his mouth while averting his gaze to the side, his ears turning a faint pink as he did.

It was funny how the steak tasted even better than when he had tried it himself.

"Such a good boy." Harry laughed as he turned back to the meal. "Here, let me give you another―"

" _Harry_." Septhis cleared his throat. "I believe the boy is old enough to be perfectly capable of feeding himself.

Harry paused before throwing a dark look at Septhis. "And I believe you are _perfectly_ _capable_ of going on without eating."

"But you see, I'm a _human_ , Harry dear." Septhis only quirked a brow, seeming unfazed. "I hope you haven't forgotten, have you?"

"You will do well by leaving us alone." Harry huffed. "As you can see, we're trying to have some father and son bonding time— not like you would even _know_ what that's supposed to mean anyway."

"Don't be so harsh, Harry. I'm sure Tom will want me around more often than you, seeing that you aren't, oh well, human," Septhis replied with forced exaggeration, "and I _am._ "

"Oh will you stop being immature and just enjoy the meal!?" Harry exclaimed in exasperation as he set down his knife and fork.

Septhis shot him a victorious smile as he took a sip of his glass of wine.

Harry rolled his eyes and turned back to Tom. "Where were we again?"

"I can manage eating myself." Tom slowly told him as though cautious not to upset his _father_. "Thank you, Harry."

Harry wore a soft smile. "Such a big boy already." He sighed. "I should've adopted you even earlier than I would have had a chance to baby you."

Tom wrinkled his nose at Harry's words.

Septhis interrupted the warm atmosphere between two with a deadpan. "I'd appreciate it if you finished the meal first before starting some father-son drama."

"Septhis!"

* * *

 **A/N:** Wooooah. So, thank you so much for the reviews! I am so happy that you guys enjoyed it, overjoyed actually.

Special thanks to **Plogop, Kasai Mori, Aqua and Luna, UnderTakerxXxMadnesS, 11lokilove** and **D C JoKeR H S** for your reviews, you guys just made my day :')

And big thanks too to all that put favourites and follows on this story :')

THANK YOU FOR READING!

 **[EDIT: 21-01-2019]** so my sleep deprived ass ended up spacing out while editing this and I ended up typing—

Harry wore a soft smile. "Such a big boy already." He sighed. "I should've **kidnapped you**

…before snapping wide awake and hitting the backspace in horror, lmao.


	3. Chapter 3

**With love, Harry**

* * *

 **Summary:**

In which Harry goes back in time, adopts his arch nemesis and pulls one infamous Dark Lord into his madness somewhere along the way.

"Surprise! Tom, meet your grandfather!"

"Harry. That's Gellert Grindelwald."

"I know. Isn't it exciting!? And he'll be tutoring you to be the greatest Dark Lord ever!"

" _What?"_

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling is the boss of it all.

 **Warning:** Grammar, perhaps?

* * *

 **Three**

* * *

" _Wandless_ magic?"

"You already have such a great grasp on your magic, which is really impressive." Harry nodded with a bright smile. "And because you won't be getting a wand until you're eleven, I thought it would be a good idea to have you learn the art of wandless magic instead. So, I'll be tutoring you through it—"

"Might I remind you that a human's capabilities and a _nymph's_ differ greatly?" A new voice suddenly interrupted.

The said nymph turned with a forming frown to face the pale man who had just entered the training room (as Harry had dubbed it) with total ease despite the handful of wards and complex locking charms Harry had placed on the door. Harry had wanted to keep out "unwanted visitors" but by the looks of it, he had failed.

Septhis was as usual, all decked in black which only made his skin seem a tad paler than it already was. About two weeks had gone by and all Tom had noticed of the pale man was how his entire wardrobe only had various shades of the colour black.

"I thought you were supposed to be in Texas for someone's death day." Harry furrowed his brows. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here, _honey_. And I returned early because I didn't want you to miss me." Septhis replied in the most endearing tone as he sauntered over to Harry, placing a hand on the other's hip and pulling him flush against him—

" _Expecto Patronum._ "

Tom watched in awe as a silver stag suddenly burst forth from the tip of what he presumed was Harry's wand.

The reaction was instantaneous.

Septhis immediately drew back like he had been burned while cursing darkly in a language Tom didn't recognize. He threw an unimpressed look at the stag that took a protective stance in front of Harry. It snorted in warning before lowering its rather impressive horns at the pale man.

"If you try that one more time, I'll be sending something _more_ than a patronus your way." Harry huffed before slipping the wand into his sleeve.

"You should leave the teaching to me. I can assure you that the boy will grasp the contents of the lessons more quickly when he's being taught by a _human_ ," the pale man interrupted before Harry could resume his conversation with Tom, "which you unfortunately are not."

The green eyed man's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. " _Septhis._ "

"Harry, do nymphs use wands as well?" Tom asked as he tilted his head to the side, eyes fixed on the sleeve Harry had hidden his wand in. He withdrew his gaze to meet the startled expression of his adoptive father while deliberately ignoring the rising tension between the two Mortimers.

Tom had noticed in the past few days how the two men despite bickering at almost every given opportunity still shared an extremely close relationship. He found it quite disturbing that they almost seemed like an old married couple.

A fact he didn't seem to like.

Not that he would ever voice it out though.

Coming back to his question, this was his first time actually seeing a wand _and_ seeing Harry with it too.

All this while, magic in the household had been used by means of uttered words or silent flicks of the hand, something Tom had thought was entirely normal until he'd witnessed Harry's wide eyed reaction when he helped set the dinner table with what was presumably wandless magic.

So seeing a wand out of the blue had caught him by surprise.

A small frown graced his features as he recalled a previous conversation where Harry had told him that nymphs did not require a medium such as a wand for them to channel their magic through. _Did Harry lie to him then?_

"Why do you have a wand?" Tom asked again.

"It's a, because I, uh, have…" Harry threw a panicked glance at Septhis as he stammered his way through his reply.

"It's not his." Septhis replied. "You see, your father is just a very special exception when it comes to the laws of this world. And because he is an exception, he seems to have a very fond and bad habit of taking things that do not currently belong to him." The pale man shot Harry a meaningful gaze before turning back to face Tom. "The wand has now returned back to its master."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Tom's frown grew deeper.

"It means it is best not to question the actions of your _father_ now. You will come to understand it much later."

"Oh, Tom." Harry suddenly sighed, sounding a little sad as he placed a hand on top of the boy's head. "You see…I…"

"What is it?" The boy strangely felt impatient.

What he did not understand, however, was that the emotion raging inside him was far from impatience.

No, it was worry.

"I'm fine, really, but you see, I'm not actually from here because I'm from the year 3521 and—"

 _THWACK!_

Septhis shot him a look of disapproval after slapping the back of Harry's head. "What have I told you about blabbering unnecessary information when you're in panic?"

Surprisingly, rather than retaliate, Harry just put on an expression of a lost puppy. He then placed a hand on Septhis's shoulder, "I'll just leave everything to you then. You better tutor him well, and don't be so harsh on him." Harry sighed as he dropped his voice to a whisper. "I'll be back before dinner. Just, it's one of those days you know? I woke up from a long dream about back then and it's so frustrating sometimes. If I'm not back on time, send an owl or something."

Harry turned to Tom with a smile. "Be obedient to Septhis alright? He's actually quite a good teacher. Papa just remembered he has something to do, so I'll be back later."

Tom blinked. "Oh…okay."

The boy didn't find anything unusual about Harry's behaviour because the man often did that. Harry would space out on some days, seeming very out of it before returning to his usual behaviour the next day.

Tom wondered if it was a "nymph thing".

"Alright!" Septhis snapped the moment Harry had dragged himself out and shut the door. "One last thing before we formally begin, if you ever happen to run into Harry while he seems rather out of it, please remember to patiently bear with him while keeping an eye on him so that he does not do something stupid."

"Then shouldn't we also be keeping an eye on him right now?" Tom asked.

Septhis raised a brow. "What makes you think I'm not?"

"Oh." The boy only nodded while slightly furrowing his brows.

Suddenly, the silvery stag which had momentarily been forgotten about grunted as it moved to a corner and settled itself down. After making itself comfortable, it grunted again as though asking them to continue.

"Is that a summon?" Tom asked as he curiously observed it.

"No. It's a patronus."

"A patronus?"

"Yes, a patronus."

"And what, _sir_ , is a patronus?"

Septhis smirked. "Don't get too cheeky with me, brat." He then shifted his eyes to the stag, a hint of disdain flickering in his deep black orbs. "That is a corporeal patronus, a very powerful and difficult defensive charm for protection. It is also one of the most ancient of charms to have ever been used in the wizarding community."

"Teach me how to produce one." Tom demanded almost instantly.

It was powerful.

 _Beautiful_.

And it was meant to _protect_ what was _his_.

The pale man barked out a harsh laugh. "Kid, you don't even _own_ a wand. And besides, why would you even want to learn how to produce one?"

"I have my own reasons." Tom replied in an offhanded manner, his head held high.

"Like I said, you don't own a wand which is a requirement for producing a corporeal patronus, if you haven't noticed already." Septhis rolled his eyes.

"Are you perhaps reluctant on teaching me because _you_ can't produce one?" The boy merely raised a challenging brow.

Septhis paused before his lips curled into a smirk.

Oh, this boy was so amusing, as much as he was annoying.

Harry sure had picked an interesting character to babysit alright.

Unable to hold back and also totally disregarding his master's stern warning of not invading other people's privacy, Septhis performed a legilimens on the boy because he _just had to know what was going on in this little Dark Lord's head_ —

…and then promptly burst out laughing right after.

"What did you do to me?" Tom immediately sensed something was wrong which surprised the pale man.

Septhis was impressed.

 _As expected of the Dark Lord who was considered to be the greatest dark wizard of his time_ , he thought.

"Forget about that." Septhis now found himself in a considerably better mood. "First tell me, do you like to hurt people who make you angry?"

"I don't―"

"No need to put up a face in front of me." Septhis waved his hand with a chuckle. "Harry's not around so you can drop your _saint-like_ act. Now, let's try it again, do you like to hurt people who make you angry?"

Tom's expression turned eerily blank. "No."

"How about if I put it like this," Septhis leaned in towards the boy, "would you like to hurt people who hurt _Harry_?"

"Why would _anyone_ want to hurt Harry?" Tom asked, despite unconsciously perking up.

"He's special," Septhis grinned before adding in an afterthought, "what with him being a _rare_ nymph, you know."

Tom's expression darkened ever slightly.

Septhis laughed. "That's more like it. Have you done your reading on light and dark magic?"

"Of course." Tom promptly replied.

He was just eight.

But Harry had not once doubted his son's intelligence. He had even given Tom a few "advanced" books to read so that he would be more familiar with the wizarding world.

 _"My little boy is very gifted!"_

Harry was sincerely proud of him.

"Well, that makes things easier for the both of us then. And seeing how you're a child prodigy, I doubt you would have a problem picking up the complex content we will be focusing on after a few classes of brushing up on basic knowledge." Septhis nodded before placing a proposal before the boy. "So, what I will be teaching you will have to do mainly with… _dark magic._ You will learn how to harm those who try to take away what is yours in the most slow, gruesome and painful manner. All done wandlessly, of course."

The pale man had been expecting some sort of resistance but to his amusement, Tom's lips slowly lifted to a smile.

"That sounds interesting."

Septhis snickered to himself because this meant he had just won the bet that ran somewhere along the lines of gaining Tom Riddle's attention first.

It was a useless bet; really, because the supposed _nymph_ was just too stupid to realise that he had already gained the boy's sole attention right from the very start of their first encounter.

 _Oh, Harry._

* * *

Later that night, Tom had been sitting on his bed with a mountain of feather soft pillows supporting his back whilst reading one of the many books of _questionable_ material that Septhis had assigned to him when he had been startled out of his concentration.

His door had softly creaked open.

The boy's eyes snapped up from the book to his bedroom door.

" _Harry_?" He blinked in confusion at the man who seemed worse for wear.

The fairy lights in little jars that floated above Tom's bed (they were a welcome gift from Clymene who insisted that he needed something prettier and livelier in his room) fluttered about as though in agitation when Harry stumbled over to his bed and collapsed in a heap next to Tom.

Tom shuffled over to him with worry coursing through him like adrenaline when a soft snore stopped him.

He huffed on realising the man was just tired; and already fast asleep.

Tom placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and gently shook him. "Harry, your room is next door, this is _my_ bedroom. Go sleep in your bed."

The other's green, green eyes suddenly snapped open in alarm but when it focused on Tom's face, Harry softly sighed before closing them again.

"Tommy, be a good boy and let papa sleep here tonight. I'm too tired to move." Harry groaned as he managed to wandlessly change into a set of pyjamas before sliding into the blankets with a satisfied hum. "Let's spend some nice father-son quality time."

Tom uncomfortably shifted and tried to free himself from Harry's arms which were now firmly entangled around his waist.

"Don't call me Tommy."

"Tommy." Harry grinned as he purposefully dragged out the nickname. He teased. "Just continue reading, I promise I won't be such a bother to _the_ honour student."

"But you're quite distracting even though you promise not to be a bother." Tom mumbled underneath his breath.

"What was that?" Harry playfully narrowed his eyes.

"This is exactly what I was referring to." Tom gave an exasperated sigh.

"Oh, come on! Are you really trying to put on such a mature act in front of your papa!?"

"It's useless for me to even try reading now." Tom said, ignoring Harry as he placed the book that he had been fully immersed in not too long ago on the bedside table. "I'll just sleep."

"Of course!" Harry exclaimed brightly. Suddenly, Tom found himself already in his pyjamas and buried under the blankets while being held like a teddy bear. "Let's sleep."

Harry was very warm.

 _Just like his heart,_ _Tom silently mused._

"Goodnight, Tommy."

Tom could very literally _hear_ the grin in Harry's words.

He softly mumbled back a reply.

"Goodnight... _Harry_."

* * *

 **A/N:**

Not really satisfied with this chapter but oh well, it was needed for this story to progress xD

Thank you so much for all your favourites and follows! It really keeps me going ^^

And special thanks to my dearest reviewers **D C JoKeR H S, Plogop, halfblood hufflepuff** and **UnderTakerxXxMadnesS**! You guys are the fuel to my fire, lol.

Also, thank you for reading!

 **[EDIT: 23-01-2019]** oh gosh, the only thing I can say about this is that the original chapter was so awful, I'm glad I redid this. *sniff*

Also, Harry's lived for centuries so he's messed up. Hence, the "crazy Harry"— something I've noticed most people in the comments like to call him. I'm refining his character so that he doesn't seem as immature as he did so woot woot and cheers to that, lmao. AND he's not actually a nymph, just living in the guise of it hehe

A big thank you to **ar111, Immortal ninjaaa, Maester Ta** and **Gurgaraneth** for the new reviews! Yes, this is a rewrite, so to say and thanks for the support! ^^


	4. Chapter 4

**With love, Harry**

* * *

 **Summary:**

In which Harry goes back in time, adopts his arch nemesis and pulls one infamous Dark Lord into his madness somewhere along the way.

"Surprise! Tom, meet your grandfather!"

"Harry. That's Gellert Grindelwald."

"I know. Isn't it exciting!? And he'll be tutoring you to be the greatest Dark Lord ever!"

" _What?"_

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling is the boss of it all.

 **Warning:** Grammar, perhaps?

 **A/N:** In which there's a minor time-skip, it's revealed that Harry's a tad messed up all because of time and Tom is just a kid so he obviously has bad tantrums. *shrugs*

* * *

 **Four**

* * *

Harry Potter— _Mortimer_ stared at the wand in his hand.

 _Elder wood, fifteen inches and Thestral tail-hair core._

"Not again." He groaned before quickly sending it back to its current owner with a wave of his hand, as though he had been burned just by touching it.

And look! He even made sure there was another apology note attached to it!

He swore he'd never done it on purpose. If anything, it usually happened out instinct and the fact that he'd been very used to carrying around the Elder Wand before coming into this timeline.

On another note, he just had a really bad memory.

When one turned into an entity that neither death nor time could touch, things turned out pretty messy alright.

Harry sighed.

Mister Gellert Grindelwald might have already noticed it seeing how the Elder Wand (which he currently was the owner of) had begun to take on the bad habit of disappearing just as randomly as it reappeared back in his pocket.

 _With untidy notes bearing cookies or chocolates sometimes._

And it was becoming more of a frequent routine lately, especially with Harry's ward beginning to grow up.

Ah, yes.

Tom Marvolo Riddle.

He had taken in everyone's favourite resident Dark Lord (in miniature form) to be raised and brought up under his care. A soft snort escaped Harry's lips at that. He could very well imagine the look on Ron's―

Harry put an abrupt end to that thought.

Because the thoughts of his past life never brought him happiness; not since everyone he loved had gone and left him behind to carry them in his memories, _forever._

 _The Boy-Who-Lived._

How fitting of a term it seemed to his predicament.

…

"I've been looking everywhere for you."

 _Speak of the devil and ye shall appear._

"Tommy!" Harry exclaimed as he turned around from staring out the huge French windows that faced the gardens. "You were looking for your Papa? Did you miss me?"

The boy sighed in exasperation at both Harry's question and _that_ ridiculous pet name. "No, _Harry_."

Harry involuntarily shivered at how his name rolled out of Tom's tongue, in a lazy drawl with much emphasis on the vowel.

Somehow, it made always him remember _Voldemort_.

(It wasn't really the best memory, or the worst. But there were times he just didn't want to remember.)

"You didn't miss me?" Harry pushed aside his thoughts as he gasped.

"I came to tell you to hurry up or we'll be late!" Tom only huffed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

And then Harry thought to himself that perhaps it was a bad thing his little boy was living around _beings_ that had lived for centuries— because Tom seemed far too mature for child who was turning ten in a month's time.

 _He's not your little boy, you do know that don't you?_

 _Harry shook away the voice that nagged him in the corner of his brain and concentrated on something else instead. Like how time had really flown by and soon, Tom would begin his schooling in Hogwarts._

Harry blinked. "Late for what?"

Tom stared at Harry with an unimpressed look which made him begin to fidget.

 _Wait, was he forgetting something?_

"The festival of the fae?"

"It's today!?"

"Yes, _Harry_." Tom sighed, looking a little disappointed. "It's _today_."

(Sure, the boy hid his emotions far too well under a perfectly sculpted mask but Harry hadn't been around him all these years for nothing. He was even surprised with how easily he could read the boy at times.

But Harry knew that in a few more years, Tom Riddle would simply become impossible to read.)

He opened his mouth to apologize about forgetting the festival which Tom had been very excited for but then stopped short when an idea suddenly popped into his mind. Not entirely the brightest idea but— _fine_ , it couldn't even be called an idea. It was more of an intention to tease his son.

"I will come with you, but only on one condition." Harry said.

Tom's eyes suddenly dilated and narrowed at Harry's reply. He straightened his back, looking rather tense.

"Come on," Harry raised a brow, "you don't have to be so wary. I'm not going to ask you to do anything terrible."

Funnily enough, not only could he read the boy, but Harry even seemed to be able to _understand_ Tom Riddle.

Not always, of course; but he liked to think he did most of the time, at least.

He wondered if it was something to do with the fact that they had shared similar childhoods once upon a time, along with being Tom's horcrux.

 _...and now I'm his adoptive father._

"What condition?" Tom asked tersely.

" _CallmePapathroughouttheentirefestival_!" Harry gushed out immediately without taking a breath.

Tom paused for a moment before dropping his apprehension.

A deep sigh escaped his lips.

" _Really_?"

"Not once have you ever called me papa since I took on the charge of being your father!" Harry stressed as he tried his best not to sound like he was whining. "Not. Once. And don't you throw in another excuse like that time Clymene asked you why!"

Tom's forehead wrinkled into a frown. Then, after a moment of thought, he spoke, "Are you coming to the festival? We'll be late if you don't hurry... _papa_."

Harry gasped in shock and stumbled back before spectacularly tripping over the chair behind him and landing flat on his back with a groan.

" _Harr_ \- Papa!" Tom exclaimed in alarm as he rushed over to his side. "Are you alright? What happened to you?"

"Y-You just..." Harry openly gaped, still having a hard time processing the fact that the boy had actually obeyed him!

Not that he ever disobeyed... _but_!

"I just _what_?" The said boy looked terribly confused.

"You called me Papa." Harry breathed out, still in a state of disbelief.

Tom blinked. "Didn't you ask me to?"

Harry had initially just meant to tease Tom.

"Yeah...but I― no, _you_ ―"

"You're crying." Tom sharply sucked in his breath. "You're _crying_. Harry, why are you crying?"

Harry paused as he brought a hand up to his face.

It was true.

There was a single tear running down his cheek.

 _How strange._

It was in this moment that an old, old memory suddenly flashed before his eyes. Of his first son, running up to him with a big grin, just four years old.

" _Papa_!"

Ginny stood by the door with a fond smile on her face as she watched the two of them.

And then…

 _And then there was_ _death_ and _decay_.

How sad it was.

 _The mortality of man—_

" _Harry_! What's wrong!?"

" _James_?" He snapped out of his trance. "Ja―...oh, Tom. _Tom._ It's…it's just you."

Harry shook his head to clear off his mind.

And missed how a particularly dark look passed through Tom's eyes; and the way his _little boy_ drew back like he had been burned.

 _Jealousy._

Tom didn't even realise the emotion that suddenly boiled inside him was jealousy rearing its ugly head. He was angry, angry because of a name Harry had called out with so much affection before dismissingTom like he was… _nothing_.

 _James?_ Tom wore an incomprehensible expression. _Who is this James?_

He suddenly stood up. "I'll leave now then." Harry didn't seem to notice how cold Tom's voice had become. "Do join us at the earliest if you plan on coming along."

Tom needed to get away.

There was a strong urge to destroy coursing through within him.

 _Burn even._

The door shut with a loud bang.

Harry blinked a few times.

He tilted his head to the side in confusion as he stared at the spot where Tom had been standing just a few seconds ago.

"Did I do something wrong?"

* * *

"He's not talking to me!" Harry burst into Septhis's bedroom, expressing his disbelief loud enough for the pale man to actually _feel_ the exclamation marks in his sentence. " _Why_ is he not talking to me!?"

The pale man who had just been preparing to tuck himself into bed for the night shot Harry a glare for the sudden interruption. Not that he even needed sleep but he had become accustomed to the traditions of man, a result of constantly watching over his lonely master that this had become a habit which was hard to kill.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Septhis replied in an annoyed tone. "And could you have at least knock― _wait_ , I specifically remembering putting up wards…never mind. Just get _out_. I need my rest."

"No!"

The expensive antique Chinese vase containing white chrysanthemums on the bed side table suddenly burst, creating a mess of broken shards, water… _and Septhis's favourite flower._

The two stared at each other.

"I got those from a _lovely_ funeral in Japan just yesterday." Septhis said in a tone that told anyone he was doing his best to repress his anger. "And I really _liked_ them."

Harry just waved his hand and the vase was back in one piece on the table with the flowers intact as though it hadn't been destroyed in the first place.

"Septhis, he talked to _you_ the whole time during the festival!" Harry wildly waved his hands in the air before shoving an accusatory forefinger at the pale man's face. " _You_!"

Septhis deadpanned. "You say that as though he doesn't like me."

"Of course he doesn't!" His green eyed Master exclaimed. "And _that_ is why I know something is terribly wrong here."

"Or maybe he's changed preferences and likes me better now." Septhis smirked. "After all, am I not the one who spends more time with him these days?"

Harry's words died in his throat as Septhis continued talking.

"I'm the _human_ here. And besides, we both know he rarely even regards you as his father but more like an overbearing guardian. Maybe he's just…stopped liking you. The evidence clearly lies on what happened today."

In Septhis's defence, he had not intended for the mess that would soon take place to even happen. But it did anyway.

Harry's eyes grew wide and he drew back into himself.

 _Oh._

There was a moment of uncertainty reflected in Harry's eyes as he slowly turned around and headed for the door. Septhis thought he had been a little too harsh on his Master but honestly? Harry was just too easy and fun to tease.

So really, whatever took place next was not Septhis aka _Death the Great's_ fault.

"Oh, maybe you're right. Okay. If Tom doesn't want me around then..." Harry bit his lower lip, emotions raging through him as he released a shaky breath.

This was one of his _bad_ days.

"I'm going out."

* * *

Harry was... _gone_.

With no warning.

Nothing.

The manor had grown absolutely quiet and everything just felt so different without the green, green eyed supposed nymph around. And it had already been almost a week since his " _disappearance_ ".

Even Septhis didn't seem to know where Harry had gone.

(Which was troubling and very worrisome because the pale man _always_ knew where Harry was.)

With Harry no longer around, though he would not like to admit it, Tom was having a very hard time concentrating on his lessons. He was beginning to make mistakes while brewing potions, cast wrong spells, blunder up while identifying herbs and other species of plants— even spacing out through his lectures with Septhis.

This was not good.

 _Not at all._

"Yes, Tom. Just add that Murtlap tentacle into the brew to conjure an explosion that will destroy the room." Septhis's drawl drew Tom out of his thoughts. The boy blankly stared at the tentacle in his before crushing it into nothing with his magic. "Wonderful! Waste a rare ingredient while you're at it too."

Tom turned his attention to the bubbling mixture before him which had turned a faint yellow. _Which step was this supposed to be in?_

No.

Which potion was he supposed to be brewing today?

His thoughts were once again brought to an abrupt halt when the pot before him disappeared.

Septhis clapped his hand. "Alright, that will be it for today. You are hereby excused from the rest of your classes for the entire day."

Tom snapped his head up to look at the pale man in surprise. "But I—"

"Think of it as a holiday. You're not going to be receiving much of those so be grateful. Class dismissed. Have a good day ahead of you, _Tom_."

Tom could only watch helplessly as the pale man strode out of the manor's very own potions lab— and then something inside him _snapped._

How could Septhis not know where Harry was!?

Was he _lying_ to him?

Unbeknownst to him, dark tendrils of magic were slowly escaping his form, taking up the space in the huge lab and filling the empty corners with darkness.

 _Does Harry hate me now and so he's decided to leave me?_

Then in a blink of an eye, everything in the room promptly burst and shattered into a million pieces.

Tom Marvolo Riddle simply stood in the middle of the pandemonium, staring at nothing while being oblivious to everything.

" _Harry_." He called out softly in the language of the serpents. " _Where are you?_ "

* * *

Meanwhile in a place far away from home, a certain raven haired male stood on the edge of an old bell tower and stared at the battle taking place below him with indifference.

Several men and women draped in white cloaks were caught in a duel with the commoners of the area, sending them down like flies.

"So much death." He sighed to himself as he settled down, his legs swaying in the wind. "The lives of mortals are so fickle."

Suddenly, the tip of a wand sharply dug into his back from behind.

Harry had felt a presence cautiously watching him the whole time before whomever it was decided to approach him. And even though they had very skilfully hidden themselves, the raven haired male could still sense their presence without a problem, so it hadn't been much of a surprise to him.

"Who are you?" The smooth voice of the wand's owner demanded.

Oh but it wasn't their wand.

 _No, it's my wand._

He slowly tilted his head back, his green orbs clashing against vivid heterochromatic ones.

Harry grinned like a mad man.

The other frowned.

"Hello, Grindelwald."

* * *

 **A/N:** Well, I hope this chapter wasn't too heavy seeing that some of you liked how this fanfic started off on a light note and hoped it would remain that way. And of course, I intend on keeping it light, though with just a few heavy moments such as this perhaps?

And Harry's not actually a nymph, for those of you who are confused; he's just under the pretence of being one. Tom will come to find out about it soon enough though.

A big thank you to my reviewers, **SakuraLuck, Guest, halfblood hufflepuff, Plogop** and **D C JoKeR H S.** Can I just be really cheesy and say you guys light up my world? Lol, thank you again :')

And to all who placed this fanfic in their favourites and follows list as well as you who have given this a try, thanks.

Thank you for reading!

 **[EDIT: 23-01-2019]** I was never really satisfied with this particular chapter before but now that I've straightened some things out, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Thank you **mizzrazz72** and **Gurgaraneth** for leaving your reviews! :')

Also, here's a funny story, just yesterday _(23-02-2019, omg it's been one month since the initial edit lmao)_ I realised there was a hell lot of virus in my laptop after the screen to suddenly went blue. I panicked and asked my friend what the hell I'd do— and all she did was laugh while telling me, and here I quote, _"It's the blue screen of Death"._

My first thought was— _SEPTHIS, WHAT DID I DO TO YOU TO DESERVE THIS!?_ lol


	5. Chapter 5

**With love, Harry**

* * *

 **Summary:**

In which Harry goes back in time, adopts his arch nemesis and pulls one infamous Dark Lord into his madness somewhere along the way.

"Surprise! Tom, meet your grandfather!"

"Harry. That's Gellert Grindelwald."

"I know. Isn't it exciting!? And he'll be tutoring you to be the greatest Dark Lord ever!"

" _What?"_

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling is the boss of it all.

 **Warning:** Grammar, perhaps?

 **A/N:** In which it's Septhis's turn to throw a tantrum and Harry finally returns home, bringing along a new addition to the family (who, sadly enough, isn't Grindelwald HAH).

* * *

 **Five**

* * *

 _CRASH!_

Clymene winced over her cup of chamomile tea as the sound of multiple windows in the upper floor of the manor breaking simultaneously echoed throughout. She placed her cup down and cleared her throat. "The boy is _very_ destructive."

Septhis who sat on the sofa across the nymph snorted. "He's just lonely without Harry around and seems incapable of expressing it in forms other than violence."

Septhis and Clymene, sitting together and drinking tea while having a casual chat. _What was the world coming to!?_ Harry's abrupt disappearance was surely causing a stir within the manor.

"Why not call your master back?" Clymene asked as she tilted her head to the side. "He would return at once if you told him of the situation."

"Well, _my master_ cut off all means of communication to him." Septhis replied, his voice sounding almost strained. "The fool remains hidden from my eye."

The nymph paused before bursting into laughter, a sweet and melodious sound— that only sounded like nails on a chalkboard to the pale man.

"Pray tell what's so hilarious here."

"My, my, the _great_ Mors himself is unable to find his own master." She chuckled as she picked her cup again and took a long sip from it. "How... _pitiful_."

"I find you equally _pitiful_ for laughing at me while being unaware of where the man you claim as your _fratribus_ is hiding." He rolled his eyes, spitting out Harry's stupid title with mockery.

In all honesty, he hated nymphs.

(And also perhaps anything that was alive and breathing but who knew.)

 _Why couldn't everything just be dead?_

It would have made his job much easier than it was.

Clymene blinked and raised a brow. "Oh but _Regiam Majestatem_ does. She knows where all her children are."

 _*(Regiam Majestatem_ — Her Majesty _in Latin.)_

Septhis's eye twitched at the mention of that cursed name. "Don't go around spitting the name of your deity when in my presence."

"How childish," Clymene scoffed, " _Regiam Majestatem_ has been around for as long as you have been. Are you jealous, Septhis dear?"

His expression grew dark at the reminder. _Jealous_? No, he simply hated her; the woman who brought forth life and extended it for her servants, _these_ nymphs. She would make them live past their due dates and even through centuries they didn't deserve!

Clearly, the _Regiam Majestatem_ did not understand that all life needed to come to an ultimate end for the sake of balance. But did she care? Of course not!

" _She_ is not worth my jealousy." Septhis rose from his seat, the tiny string of calm within him finally snapping. "I, however, find it rather worrisome how your _queen_ seems incapable of recognising the harms of her generosity when it comes to the longevity of life!"

The room suddenly witnessed a drastic drop of temperature.

And Septhis, of course, blamed the sudden loss of control over his anger on Harry's uninformed leave. The very cause of all the drama that had taken place in this manor till date! Besides, tea with a nymph would have never ended diplomatically or even at the very least, with a pinch of civility anyway.

So Septhis wasn't really surprised when the nymph in front of him suddenly hissed like a frightened kitten, interrupting his train of thoughts—

"You're raising some unpleasant company outside! Let the dead remain as they are; leave my sisters in their graves. Do not raise them in your little fit!"

He paused.

Septhis _saw_ the conflicting emotions that raged within Clymene's clear blue eyes and then grasped onto her rare moment of helplessness, like an excited child receiving a brand new toy.

His voice lowered to a frighteningly soft tone. "But won't you want to see them again, _Clymene_?"

The pale man's features slowly began to change, the room growing darker as it did. His eyes sunk in and turned into hollowed pools of infinite darkness while his body took on a more skeletal appearance.

Clymene shivered and drew into herself. It was growing colder by the second, the room turning into something much like when a dementor dropped by, but in tenfold.

"I can offer you a chance," he softly murmured in an almost seductive tone while drawing closer to her, "to meet them again."

She knew what he was doing, what this was...

 _The call of the dead._

 _Mortuorum evocatio_.

And the biggest sin to _Regiam Majestatem_.

Clymene felt a great urgency to get away.

In a last resort, she slammed her palms against the surface of the table, channelling all the energy from within as she did. The world around her spun before she found herself outside in the next moment, collapsed on the bed of green grass and very exhausted.

The plants around her quivered restlessly on sensing her distress; trying to reach out to touch her and give her comfort.

She lifted her head to gaze back at the manor. To her utter horror, the surrounding of the mansion —all the flowers and the trees, _everything_ — was dead; seeming like it had been burnt down.

"Oh, _Regiam Majestatem_." She whispered. "What a dreadful sight."

* * *

"If _Harry_ does not intend on appearing any sooner, I can confidently guarantee all that will be left of this mansion is its ashes."

The four cloaked wraiths that had been attending to their lord wavered about their positions nervously. An angry Death was, after all, not someone anyone would like to be around.

You would be wishing for death even if you were, _well_ , already dead.

There was a soft knock on the door and the wraiths immediately dispersed in a frenzied hurry, leaving behind wisps of black smoke.

"Come in." Septhis called out as he swirled the contents of the glass cup he held.

Tom Marvolo Riddle (the cause of all his apparent misery— yes, he was currently throwing the blame around, and no, he did not care) stepped into the room with a mildly disturbed expression etched across his delicate features.

"It is not yet time for your classes." Septhis greeted the boy in a lazy drawl.

"I am aware of that fact myself." The boy replied tersely. "I just came to inquire about," he paused as though trying to put a word on whatever it was he had come to ask Septhis, "a certain matter."

"I had nothing to do with the sudden lack of plant life around the manor, if you were wondering."

Tom shook his head. "I do not care about the lover's spat you had with Clymene—"

Septhis's wore a pinched expression. "We are not—"

"—but rather, the presence of dementors outside."

The pale man paused at the sudden revelation. " _Dementors_?"

"Yes." Tom nodded. "Three of them, and they are hovering about the manor as though _attracted_ to something inside."

Septhis sighed and sunk deeper into his armchair. "Forget about them, they are just posing as mere... _messengers_."

"From who, might I ask?"

"Who else if not from your _papa_ dearest, at least we know he's still alive." Septhis replied with nonchalance. "He could have just dropped by himself sooner instead of causing me all this trouble."

The boy bristled at the mention of his adoptive father. " _Harry_?"

"Yes. Now, don't ask me why he can command dementors to send messages, I'm not in the mood to deal with your questions, Tommy boy." Septhis waved him off. "And do me a favour. Go up to one of them with the brightest smile— oh, you can't smile, _can_ you?"

The scowl he received from Tom pretty much answered Septhis's question.

"Well," the pale man sighed again, "now I'm just going to have to deal with more complaints from the nymphs about unwanted company in their territory. Fuck."

"Or you can deal with the dementors yourself first." Tom stated almost quietly as he firmly fixed his gaze on the window behind Septhis.

The man turned around (with much dread because no, he did not like dementors) to be greeted by the sight of the said creatures outside, lightly banging on the windows with their skeletal hands as though asking for entry.

Yes. He, _Death the Great,_ did not favour these dark creatures.

Not because he was bitter over the fact that his master had taken the reins of control over them after winning a stupid bet that involved Thestral racing. _Of course, not._

(Septhis did not want to talk about it— let alone remember his humiliating _defeat_ at the hands of a once mortal who went through life armed with only _"sheer dumb luck"_.)

Tom impatiently waved his hand, his magic spilling out to unlock the windows when he realised Septhis was not going to do it.

The room's temperature abruptly dropped to a chill, but Tom seemed rather enraptured by the creatures and entirely disregarded how he had begun to shiver due to the cold.

"Don't get too close, Tom." Septhis warned. "I will not be the one who takes the blame if you end up being kissed."

"So, I was right all along then." The boy paused, turning to Septhis with a smirk tugging on the corners of his lips.

Septhis blinked. "What?"

"You can't produce a patronus."

"That is all you can think of in such a dire situation as this?" Septhis resisted the urge to pinch (and punch someone) the bridge of his nose.

The dementors began to circle high above Tom like vultures but kept a considerable distance at the same time. The boy was slightly puzzled over their behaviour before the sound of a chorus of mismatched whispers reached his ears. And that was when he realised that the creatures were communicating with them.

They seemed to be talking (?) in a language ( _Latin_ , Tom's mind supplied), directing their words to the pale man. A pity Tom wasn't well versed enough in the dead language to understand why Septhis's expression grew to a very sour one. It amused him how the man seemed outraged, annoyed and resigned all at the same time.

A part of him wanted to demand the man what Harry's message was— but all was forgotten when Harry's voice seemed to drift out from the chaotic whispers of the dementors, calling his name with a fondness that squeezed Tom's heart.

 _'Tommy, I do hope you're being a good boy. Don't worry about your Papa alright? I'll be back soon.'_

(The only good which came from Harry's theatrics, Septhis had to admit, was the wonders it worked on the little Dark Lord's mood for the next two days before the green eyed man's actual return. _Thankfully_.)

Harry's words echoed on like a sweet song.

 _'I'm coming home._ '

* * *

Septhis could sense the foreboding pandemonium.

Even _taste_ its awfulness in the air.

He was a fan of chaos, don't mistake him.

He loved it, raised it whenever he could, and very often stood at the frontline of it— he was a _master_ of mayhem, in fact.

But _this_ was a different case altogether.

Harry coming back home.

Wasn't he supposed to be relieved and all grateful for the return of his master (like finally!) after the past two weeks of torture no thanks to a certain kid who "missed" Harry?

Believe him, he was.

 _Initially._

Before Harry informed Septhis he was bringing "someone" back with him.

So there stood Septhis by the front door, hands clasped together a little too tightly behind his back. The pale man wished Grindelwald had finished off his master in that confrontation Harry had mentioned. If he had, Septhis wouldn't have had to deal with all the tension slowly building up within him.

But then again, Harry couldn't die.

(The back of his mind idly registered the sound of the little Dark Lord's footsteps as he made his way down the foyer.)

Septhis sighed.

Why was he freaking out anyway? None of this really concerned him in the end. He was only supposed to be keeping an eye on his master. That was all. He seriously just needed to run through a few sets of breathing exercises to keep his calm—

 _No._

His little seconds of calm immediately fell into a disarray when he felt the wards shift to accommodate the arrival of Harry and the _stray_ his bloody fool of a master had picked up after his run in with Grindelwald.

 _("I couldn't leave the poor child alone so I'm bringing him home. He will make a good companion for Tommy, don't worry! I just know it and I can't wait to introduce the two!")_

Heart of a stupid saint Gryffindor!

Did he not know what introducing another child to the jealous little brat he was currently holding custody over would do!?

Of course, _not_.

The door opened and Septhis inhaled a sharp breath in sync with the little Dark Lord now standing beside him— though not for the same reasons.

The pale man immediately disliked the _"vermin"_ who seemed to be glued fast unto Harry's hip, arms tightly wrapped round him and head resting a tad too comfortably on the crook of the smiling man's neck.

And for once, even Tom seemed to agree with Septhis— if his now clenched fists were anything to go by.

To make things worse, Septhis _knew_ who this was!

He opened his mouth, ready to command Harry to throw the kid out of the manor because having one to take care of was more than enough. And also because this new addition to the cosy family of three would definitely not be much of a pleasant company seeing that he was a—

But Septhis was suddenly interrupted when he unintentionally gleaned a rather worrisome thought from the depths of the little Dark Lord's mind as their eyes met.

And _Merlin_ , Tom Marvolo Riddle seemed to be lucid inside despite the almost calm exterior he put on.

Septhis could already feel the migraine that would plague him for the next few days because the only thing the boy had in his little mind seemed to be—

 _"Is this James!?"_

* * *

 **A/N:**

For all of you who were expecting the arrival of Grindelwald to the story, sorry. It's still a little early for him to make his appearance. Instead, we have a mystery character and I can assure you that he's a hundred percent canon!character.

For those of reading this for the first time, take a wild guess? You'll be surprised when his identity gets revealed next chapter.

A big thanks to **SakuraLuck, D C JoKeR H S, Plogop, halfblood hufflepuff, vanzphantomhive, Yatocat19, Guest (Jun 18)** and **ChibiCielo27** for your reviews! You guys are my lifelines! I get really motivated reading your reviews, thank you :')

And my thanks to all who put this work in their favorites and follow lists!

Finally, thank you for reading/giving this a try!

 **[Edit: 10.02.2019]** I am SO GLAD I REDID THIS CHAPTER. Phew, I feel satisfied because this one had been a thorn to my side.

Also, thank you **holyscythe** (you'll get to see all of those unfold in the coming chapters!) and **narakunohime** for leaving reviews in the previous chapter! :')


	6. Chapter 6

**With love, Harry**

* * *

 **Summary:**

In which Harry goes back in time, adopts his arch nemesis and pulls one infamous Dark Lord into his madness somewhere along the way.

"Surprise! Tom, meet your grandfather!"

"Harry. That's Gellert Grindelwald."

"I know. Isn't it exciting!? And he'll be tutoring you to be the greatest Dark Lord ever!"

" _What?"_

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling is the boss of it all.

 **Warning:** Grammar, perhaps?

 **A/N:** A chapter where there's a lot of anger but it ends on a sweet note, nevertheless. Alternatively known as, Septhis needs lots of hugs and kisses— preferably not from dementors though.

* * *

 **Six**

* * *

Tom Marvolo Riddle stared.

Or rather, _glared._

It barely made a difference, really, as he fixed his cold gaze upon the anomalythat had arrived along with _Harry._

 _This boy must have taken advantage of the Harry's kindness and manipulated him into coming along to reside in the manor with them._

Septhis immediately brought down a hand on the little Dark Lord's shoulder, fingers digging in in an attempt to keep the kid from lunging forward.

Tom Marvolo Riddle seemed particularly murderous at the moment and Harry, in all his obliviousness, appeared to have not even noticed it. Septhis didn't know whether to be pained by his master's ignorance or be relieved the man didn't realize just how twisted his adopted son was already turning out to be. After all, jealousy was not something to be taken light of.

The creature clinging on to Harry simply smirked, clearly having sensed the whole predicament but being audacious enough to be amused by it.

 _Oh great._ Septhis was seriously beginning to consider taking a vacation. _Another demon added to this happy family._

"Harry." Septhis began stiffly. "Why don't we go outside to have a _talk_?"

"Sure." Harry shrugged as he set _Demon no. 2_ down on the ground. He smiled ( _smiled_!) at the atrocity. "Why don't you introduce yourself to Tom? Talk and get along with each other alright? I'll be back real quick."

Tom watched as the newcomer unabashedly batted _(how dare he!)_ his eyelashes at Harry _._

"Of course."

Septhis dragged Harry out of the manor, shutting the front door behind him with a loud bang and also leaving the two children to their own devices in the process— something definitely not advised upon, especially when one of them was already delving into the Dark Arts and the other was, well, a "creature", so to say.

"You must be _Tommy._ " The other broke the silence, an award winning sneer slapped unto his face as he spoke in a tone that dripped heavily with distaste.

The little Dark Lord found his body moving on its own accord; he marched right up to the other and grabbed theboy by his crisp white collared shirt (death to all who claimed it was such a "muggle" thing to do) with a snarl on his lips. "That's Tom Marvolo Riddle to _you._ "

The other, however, seemed unfazed and rather, more amused. "No _Mortimer_ as a surname, I see."

"Are you _James_!?" Tom demanded impatiently, his hand tightening its hold on the boy's collar— and slowly choking him in the process.

(Septhis did think leaving them alone would be disastrous but he had some bashing to do first so he wasn't very unconcerned.)

The newcomer's expression immediately soured before he pushed Tom away none too gently. "Such a _mundane_ name, much like _yours._ " He huffed as he straightened his shirt. "I hate to disappoint but my name is _Sanguini_ _Claudoir—_ "

"So you're not James." The little Dark Lord visibly relaxed, completely brushing the other off mid-name which was pretty rude but not like he cared anyway.

"— _de_ _Lamoureaux,_ next Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Lamoureaux—"

"I'm glad I don't have a name that is as mouthful as yours." Tom raised a brow.

"—one of the seven Noble House of Vampires." The other finished, his chest puffed up with pride while seeming unbothered by the multiple interruptions.

" _Vampire_?" Tom repeated, suddenly seeming curious.

"What?" Sanguini scoffed. "So eager to see my fangs?"

"Yes," came the blunt reply.

The young vampire who had not been expecting such honesty was completely caught off guard. " _What_?"

"I'd very much like to see those fangs of yours." Tom Riddle nodded as he took a step forward, making the other unconsciously take a step back. "I have, as of late, been reading up on some rather interesting potion ingredients. And there was this particular one that mentioned the use of fangs extracted from young vampires, such as you."

"That is some very _dark_ book you're reading."

"I hear it's a grand occasion for pureblood vampires, the _Coming of Age_ rites; a sacred ritual performed before a young vampire's presentation to society." Tom continued, as he rapidly closed the gap between them. "When the young one sinks his fangs into living flesh for the very first time, ancient magic coats his fangs, they say. And depending on how recent the ritual is the stronger the effect of the fangs will be as an ingredient."

Sanguini raised his hand, palm stuck up, forcing the young Dark Lord to stop in his tracks. It didn't take a genius to realize how uneasy and uncomfortable the boy had become. "Do not take a step closer."

"Why? Are you scared?" The corner of Tom's lip quirked up in a smirk. "What happened to all of your confidence?"

However, in that very moment (Sanguini fervently thanked his lucky stars because _merde_ , _this boy is_ _dangerous_ ), the front doors flew open.

"See, they're getting along just fine! There was nothing to worry about."

The two adults had finally returned from their so called "talk" and from the dark look on Septhis's face, it had definitely not gone on well. Septhis Mortimer, much to Harry's dismay, turned a deaf ear to his exclamation and instead snapped his fingers at the two. "Tom, step away from that…that _creature._ Now."

Tom lifted his hands up in mock surrender and did as he was told.

"And _you—_ "

"Sanguini Claudoirde Lamoureaux."

"—come." Septhis's eyebrow twitched in irritation. " _Son-ghee-nee._ I will show you to your room and tell you about the rules of this manor while we're at it."

Tom Riddle's smug smirk dropped at Septhis's words. "You mean _it's_ staying with us!?"

The other boy shot him a glare as he opened his mouth to retort but was instead beaten to it by Harry.

"Tommy, Sanguini is a _'he'_." Harry reprimanded the little Dark Lord with a light knock of his knuckles on the top of the boy's head. "You shouldn't treat him any different from us just because he's a vampire."

The boy turned stiff from the sudden contact because _just when did he get next to me?_

It was now Sanguini's turn to look smug which only went on to irritate Tom.

Thankfully enough, the vampire was led away before anything could happen. Septhis was indeed the best person when it came to damage control— and probably the only worthy being in the entire universe right now that very much deserved a holiday.

After the two had left, an awkward silence ensued.

Well, awkward at least for the young Dark Lord.

"So, Tom!" Harry exclaimed with a bright smile, turning his full attention on to his son now that the other demon he'd picked up was gone _._ "My unplanned holiday went on longer than I had expected it to. Have you been keeping well?"

It had been so long ( _two weeks_ , a voice in the back of Tom's mind supplied); he didn't really know what— _how_ to feel.

Yes, he was happy, relieved even because Harry was back!

But the emotion was short lived.

And the reality of it all seemed to crash down on him harshly the moment Harry ruffled his hair with fondness—

 _THWACK!_

Tom Riddle _slapped_ his father's hand away.

(His relief had morphed into _anger._ )

The two of them appeared to be genuinely surprised by this action. Tom even more so than the other because never in their span of interaction had he ever reacted violently to his so called _father's_ touches of affection.

" _Why did you leave me?_ " Tom abruptly stepped away from Harry, reacting as though his touch was poison, as he hissed at the man in the tongue of serpents.

It was okay, he suddenly decided. Okay for him to pour out his anger this way because Harry did not, would _never_ understand him.

" _How dare you disappear without even a word!?_ "

The green, green eyes grew wide with—

 _With what?_

 _Shock_? _Horror_?

(Harry didn't know he could speak to snakes. No, Tom had never told him about it. Why? He was never too sure about it either.)

 _Or…disgust?_

" _I_ —" Tom looked away, suddenly afraid of seeing Harry's reaction to this sudden revelation. "— _I thought you—_ "

He stopped himself.

Harry didn't need to know.

(What would he even do if he came to know anyway?)

And then he stormed out of the room, away from the man who called himself his father.

(Tom Riddle was just tired.)

 _I thought you would not come back home._

(Tired from all the waiting.)

* * *

Harry was thinking.

A feat Septhis would have mocked because _Harry Potter? Thinking? Have the dementors started handing out free hugs and non-soul-sucking kisses as well!?_

His eyebrow involuntarily twitched.

The said man chose that very moment to enter his study. Septhis studied Harry for a moment before finally speaking. "My, don't tell me you're—"

"Yes, I'm _thinking._ " Harry huffed in annoyance. _Speak of the devil and ye shall appear._

The pale man only quirked up a brow. "Oh? I was actually referring to the flavored tea you're drinking. Peach. I thought you despised it but alright. _You're_ _thinking_." There was a considerably stretched pause. "Should I be worried?"

"No." Harry groaned in response as he buried his face in his hands. "Leave me alone. Don't bully me."

"I left you alone for _two weeks_ and look at the trouble you brought back." Septhis casually stated. "I do not want to know what will happen in the next few hours I leave you alone, so no, I will do no such thing."

"Suit yourself." The messy haired male sighed as he sank deeper into his seat.

"Pray tell what's keeping you up thinking. You seemed very distracted over dinner as well so I'm guessing this _'thinking'_ session is related to it."

"Tom didn't show up for dinner." Harry absently noted.

"Oh. So this _is_ about our resident Dark Lord in the making." Septhis rolled his eyes. "I should have known."

"He's angry because I left without a single word." Harry stated as he recalled the conversation they had shared in the afternoon; the conversation which was _supposed_ to be one-sided.

Unfortunately (or fortunately?) for Tom, Harry still knew _parseltongue_.

"Bravo!" Anyone could _see_ the sarcasm dripping in the pale man's exclamation. "I thought you would never realize! Should we hold a feast to commemorate such a wonderful discovery?"

"Septhis, I'm trying to have a decent conversation with you here!"

"Alright. Yes, he's angry." Septhis shrugged. "You should have seen him when you weren't around. Even though he would never admit it, he very much missed you. That boy left destruction in his wake the last two weeks—"

"Tom _missed_ me!?" Harry gasped.

"That's not the point here. Did you even hear what I was saying about him wreaking havoc—"

The Master of Death, however, tuned the other out and stood up with renewed determination in his eyes. "Undo the wards to his room right _now._ "

"You can do it yourself. He's just a nine year old."

"Yes, but a powerful _and_ talented one." Harry replied as he quickly zipped out of his study. "Plus, I need to _think_ so I can't really spare even a second in undoing his wards."

"Or you're just lazy." Septhis sighed as he followed behind. "Fine, just don't do anything stupid. And try to actually give a second thought to the repercussions of what might happen if whatever it is you're going to do fails."

"I know!"

"I'm just taking precautions."

The two soon found themselves standing in front of the plain rosewood doors of Tom Riddle's room.

With a huff, Septhis drew out his hand and pressed it against the wooden surface. There was a sharp hiss as the door seemed to come alive. The plain design twisting and turning until the entirety of the door was covered in snake carvings— which were very much alive. Moving too; and currently trying to wrap themselves round the pale man's hand.

"See," Harry pointed out, sounding pleased, "I told you, _powerful and talented_."

"Harry, this is not the time to be proud of your son." Septhis frowned. He let out a pulse of dark energy through his hand and unto the door. The snakes slowly froze up, turning into mere inanimate carvings in the process.

"That was some brilliant transfiguration." Harry hummed happily as he pushed the doors open. "You've improved so much, _Tom_."

The boy who had been sitting by the large desk that faced the window turned around in alarm at the sound of Harry's voice. His wary expression quickly shifted to an unreadable one as he slowly rose from his seat. "I have already eaten dinner." He said stiffly. "The butler had it delivered to my room."

The green eyed man shut the doors behind him and approached his son who seemed to be carefully assessing him. "Oh no, this isn't about dinner." Harry said as he summoned a chair before making himself comfortable once he was close enough to the other. "Though the mutton chops were amazing, weren't they? It's alright, Tom, you can sit."

"What," Tom hesitantly began as he did what he was told. "…do you want?"

"To talk." Harry replied in all honesty.

"Talk." The boy deadpanned.

"Yes." Harry nodded with enthusiasm, glad that the little Dark Lord had not brushed him off. He then paused. "Or maybe not exactly talk," Harry trailed off before spreading his arms open, "hug?"

"No." Tom immediately shot him down, his look of suspicion replaced with a blank one.

Harry could, however, see the anger in it. Yes. It was admittedly his fault for just leaving. Not that he had known it would cause such a…a mess because never had it even occurred to him that Tom Marvolo Riddle would _miss_ him. Merlin, this was news that was still taking time to digest.

And yes, he was aware that making up after all that with a simple hug was the most absurd, if not cheap, thing to do.

But somehow, he felt it was just right.

 _Call it a parent's instinct._

Harry remained in the same position, his gaze unwavering. "Come on."

" _Harry,_ I do not—"

"I'll force you into doing it or keep on bugging you for one if you don't."

The boy chose to remain quiet.

"Just one hug." Harry persisted. "And then I'll leave you to yourself. I promise."

There was another stretch of silence. And just as Harry was on the verge of giving up, the little Dark Lord moved, albeit reluctantly, until he was awkwardly standing in front of Harry, unsure of what to do while the other wore his brightest smile.

"Come here." Harry pulled his son into what he self-proclaimed was the warmest hug ever. He wrapped his arms tight around the boy's waist, tugging him flush against his chest before nuzzling his face against Tom's soft dark hair.

The other melted into the touch with a sigh, signifying that he had given up on trying to resist it— not that he had even tried hard enough in the first place.

He had found rest in Harry's arms; rest after all the waiting.

"I'm sorry, Tom." Harry whispered gently as he held the boy close, a hand gingerly stroking the back of his head. "I didn't really mean to suddenly leave. Did I worry you?"

Tom mumbled something in reply.

"Hmm?"

"Don't do that again." The boy repeated, this time a little louder. "Don't leave."

Harry smiled. "I won't. I promise."

Tom hummed.

"You're not still angry with me now, are you?"

"…not really."

"Ice-cream?"

"Harry, ice-cream is not always the answer to everything." Tom's muffled reply carried the tone of fond exasperation. "Even though it works with you."

Harry laughed. "But of course!" He grinned. "My Tommy knows everything, doesn't he?"

"It's just common sense." Tom huffed. He cleared his throat as he lifted his head up to lock eyes with the other. "But there is something that would cheer me up."

"Is there?" Harry raised a brow, staring into his son's gray orbs.

"Maybe if you send that _vampire_ away—"

"Tom Marvolo Riddle!"

"…I was just saying."

* * *

 **A/N:**

Who's that Pokémo— new boi?! It's Sanguini the vampire!

His name Sanguini Claudoir de Lamoureaux is pronounced: Son-ghee-nee Clu-dwa du La-moo-hoo. I know. It's quite a mouthful.

A big thank you to my lovely reviewers **D C JoKeR H S** , **Randomthoughts08** , **G4rd3n** , **SakuraLuck** and **Half** **lois** **huffle**! I'm really grateful :')

On a personal note, **SakuraLuck** ,I really love the way you understood the last chapter. Thank you!

To all those who put this in their favorites and follows, you have my many thanks too.

And to the rest, I'm happy you gave this work a try!

 **[Edit: 11.02.2019]** there wasn't much to change here in this chapter, seeing how it was one of the more recent ones. Phew. And I apologize for the delay. I had underestimated the exam I had yesterday and was unable to update on time, yikes. Also, thank you **Gugaraneth** and **mizzrazz71** for your reviews! :')


	7. Chapter 7

**With love, Harry**

* * *

 **Summary:**

In which Harry goes back in time, adopts his arch nemesis and pulls one infamous Dark Lord into his madness somewhere along the way.

"Surprise! Tom, meet your grandfather!"

"Harry. That's Gellert Grindelwald."

"I know. Isn't it exciting!? And he'll be tutoring you to be the greatest Dark Lord ever!"

" _What?"_

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling is the boss of it all.

 **Warning:** Grammar, perhaps?

 **A/N:** A bout of questionable parenting wherein Septhis realizes that maybe he's the real parent (over Harry too) instead.

* * *

 **Seven**

* * *

"Hey, Septhis?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm going to take the children out riding." Harry said as he slipped on a pair of leather gloves.

"Riding?" The pale man abruptly straightened up from his reclining position on the couch in Harry's bedroom.

"Yeah. Riding."

"Horses?"

"Actually—"

"You are not going to use the thestrals. You know very well how much they detest being ridden on, unless of course they give their consent." He rudely interrupted his master without a care. "And no, not even the unicorns."

"Why not!? They're like horse—"

"Why? Because _one_ of the children is a bloody vampire and the _other_ is so dark, those poor creatures should, no, they are better off without his presence."

Harry gasped. "Take that back! How in Merlin can the unicorns not like someone as adorable and sweet as Tommy!?"

Septhis gave him a look, the one which told him to just shut up or risk having an argument that would only end with his dignity being crushed. The other's lips pulled to a pout.

"Okay, how about the hip—"

"No hippogriffs."

"Then—"

"Not the griffins either."

Harry huffed. "Alright, if that's how you want it, _fine_!"

He marched out of his room, leaving Septhis wondering if his Master was even fit to be a parent (when he himself needed to be taken care of half the time) to two children. And on his own too.

(Somewhere in the back of his mind, Septhis appreciated himself for being around to actually make sure none of the kids, and their father, somehow ended up at the doors of death— because the realm of the dead was already difficult enough. He didn't need more troublesome people being added into the mix.)

No.

Wait.

 _Harry wasn't the parent of two children._

Thankfully enough, the vampire brat was not a permanent addition to the family, _yet_. Septhis just hoped Fate wouldn't decide otherwise and in a twist of, well, _fate_ , turn the boy into Harry's second son. It had been four days since his arrival and Septhis still hadn't changed his opinion of the kid being a menace.

Harry was just "taking care" of the boy-with-such-a-mouthful-name.

This being because his parents were currently not quite in a position of doing so, what with the current war and chaos reigning among the Dark creatures and wizards alike. And also since— _he_ _can't_ _be left_ _alone to_ _fend for himself_ , _Septhis_! _He's_ _Tommy's_ _age_ and _just_ _a poor_ _little_ _child_!

Harry claimed he had picked the boy up during one of Grindelwald's raid.

Septhis all but hoped that Harry's "picked the boy up" meant just that, and it wasn't an accidental kidnapping of some sorts because that would end up causing an uproar among the Vampires. Especially since the boy was of noble blood.

Septhis sighed.

He sank back into the welcoming comfort the couch provided, shutting his eyes as he did. He was just going to lie down and have an afternoon siesta; a peaceful one that he really deserved.

Forget about the world, all living and dead creatures in it, and just sleep.

Which was his plan, of course, until his master ruined it.

Because apparently, Septhis had clearly forgotten to tell Harry that _the_ _dragons_ were _also_ off-limits.

 _Of course_.

* * *

"Riding?" Tom seemed intrigued as he slowly shut the heavy leather bound tome he had been reading.

Harry nodded with a grin. "Yes! We've been holed up in here for an unhealthy number of days, I thought it would be nice if we could all take a long walk along the manor's premises, enjoy the fresh air and warm sunlight." He shook his head. "But then I thought about it again and decided we should all go for a ride instead."

"That sounds like a good plan." Sanguini nodded. "I've been quite curious to know about the mansion's surroundings. I never really had the opportunity to step outside ever since my arrival."

"If you had the decency of leaving Harry alone to enjoy his privacy then I am sure you would have had ample time, _and_ _opportunity_ , to explore the outside." Tom casually offered as he rose to stand, placing the book on the table beside him. He sent a small smirk to the vampire who was at the other end of the private study gifted to the two to share. "Oh well, but you had to be such a big baby."

The young vampire, who had pretended not to hear him, strode over to Harry. "Also, I've been meaning to say, this is a very nice room, Harry. Thank you for preparing it just for _me_."

Tom scoffed.

Harry laughed, somehow not noticing the rising tension between the two nine year olds. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself here, Sanguini"

With a wave of his hand, Harry procured two matching sets of riding boots and leather gloves before tossing it over to the boys. "Here, put these on before we leave. I'll ask Derek to grab your cloaks too. It might get chilly, especially during these months because the winds here are not so friendly to those who aren't nymphs."

That being said, Harry walked out of the room in a hurry to find the butler.

"How degrading of me to wear something that matches yours." Sanguini wore a pinched expression as he eyed the boots.

"And how lowly of you to slander what Harry has gone through the trouble of getting for you." Tom coolly replied as he slipped on the gloves before proceeding to do the same with the boots. "Here I thought you were grateful to Harry for whatever he's offered you so far. Was I perhaps wrong?"

"It would do you good if you spent your time on more productive activities than twisting my words, Riddle."

The two met eyes, locking on to each other's gazes; it was or would have been a stare down.

 _Would_ _have_ — because they had been interrupted just in the nick of time.

"Young Master Riddle. Young Master de Lamoureaux." The butler Derek chose a rather good timing to step into the room. "Your cloaks, young sirs."

"Alright boys, come along quickly!" Harry's voice rang from the entrance, sounding light and excited. "Don't take all day putting on your cloaks!"

The green eyed male beamed happily when the two finally made their appearance, properly dressed for the activity.

After a bit of walking south, Harry took their hands into his, one on each side before pulling the boys along a narrow path to their left which was shrouded with tall pines. The woods seemed to come alive the moment they stepped in, the undergrowth and branches waving at them as though in the form of a greeting.

"A pleasant afternoon to all of you too." Harry greeted back, sending a few nods here and there. "I'm just heading out for a ride with the children." He said. "Oh! If you perhaps happen to see Clymene, could you ask her to come along and join us too? She hasn't met Sanguini yet." He smiled after a brief moment of silence. "Yes, I'm pretty sure she'll love him. Thank you."

The vampire furrowed his brows. "Who is Clymene?" Sanguini had been hearing her name being thrown about occasionally in the past few days of his stay but he had never really gotten a chance to ask about this mystery woman. He seemed more curious to know who she was then how Harry seemed to be casually interacting with nature.

"Septhis's lover." Tom tersely replied, seeing how Harry was still preoccupied in his greetings. "She's always around in the mansion but ever since the two got into a fight, a lover's spat, she hasn't been coming around. I guess they haven't made up ever since."

"Oh." Sanguini gave a slow nod. "I see."

He was mildly surprised the pale man was even capable of having a lover, seeing that he was such an... (how did the English say it again? Ah, right) _arse_.

Septhis Mortimer had been anything but nice towards him ever since they'd met. But at least the pale man was more tolerable than a certain Riddle.

The path soon split into two. Harry proceeded to take the one to the right when Tom seemed to hesitate. This action did not go unnoticed by the green eyed male who turned to him with a concerned look.

"Are you alright, Tommy?" The man asked in concern. "Has the walk tired you?"

Sanguini openly sneered at the little Dark Lord. "Too weak to carry on? Or are you just playing baby?"

"Harry, if I'm not mistaken, the way to the stables is the _other_ path." Tom replied, ignoring the young vampire.

"Of course it is."

Tom asked, words slowly and cautiously rolling out his tongue. "Then why are we taking _this_ one?"

"That's because we aren't riding horses today!" Harry laughed as though it was very obvious— while also having the decency of sounding a tad bit guilty.

"We aren't?" This time it was the young vampire who spoke up.

"The land gets boring sometimes, so I, uh, thought we'd just take it to the skies today, haha." Harry let go of his hands to dramatically gesture at the vast blue sky before scratching the back of his head with a bashful expression. "Well now, come along, daylight doesn't last forever."

"You don't mean the dragons," Tom asked rather stiffly, feet now firmly rooted to the gravel path, "...do you?"

"Mmhmm." Harry nodded, enthusiasm flashing in his green orbs. "How did you guess? There are some that came in from the East—"

"No."

"—just two days ago. You know, the Chinese Fireballs."

"Harry, no."

"Oh don't be such a spoilsport." Sanguini rolled his eyes as he followed after Harry. "They're just dragons."

"Chinese Fireballs are one of the ten breeds of dragons that feed on humans." Tom Riddle made sure to emphasize on the danger of the oriental dragons as he shot the young vampire a glare. "And none of the dragon breeds, as far as I'm aware, like to be ridden on top of."

"Trust me this one time, Tommy." Harry laughed. "You won't die on my watch. I would never allow it. Besides, riding on the back of a dragon is like riding a broomstick, just a little trickier."

"Maybe he's scared of heights." Sanguini scoffed.

"I am not."

"Tom, I promise you," Harry shot him an assuring smile as he patted his own chest, "it won't be so bad. Just _trust_ me."

The little Dark Lord sighed, a sign that he had clearly given up on trying to reason with Harry— not that he had put up much of a fight in the first place. When it came to Harry, he usually found himself unable to hold up much of a resistance.

Tom trudged over to the nymph, albeit reluctantly, a major part of him believing the man's words while the rest of him furiously rang warning bells in his head.

"Just this once." He muttered more to himself than to Harry.

Sanguini, in all honesty, did not understand Tom's hesitation in the first place but merely shrugged it off as he told himself, "Dragons are just big winged _bats._ "

The young vampire, however and approximately five minutes later, was glad those words were not his very last ones while also being very apologetic that he hadn't sided with Riddle earlier.

Because how could he have even forgotten that these beasts _breathed_ fire!?

* * *

Harry swore to Septhis later that evening that Murphy (the adorable little Fireball who attacked them first) was just having a bad day.

And it wasn't really Murphy's fault for setting off his four other siblings _("Yes, Septhis, they're all dragons of the same breed so there's a possibility of them being siblings, don't_ at _me")_ into a " _fiery_ _frenzy_ ".

It was partially Harry's fault.

One moment, he was petting Murphy who seemed pretty content while instructing the two boys how to approach a dragon. Then in the next, he'd slipped when Murphy nudged him for more attention (how would he have known that dragons could also get jealous!?) and accidentally hit the young dragon in the eye which wasn't taken too well—

And then there was _fire._

—of course.

"Harry, you fool!" A hand grabbed the back of Harry's collar and roughly yanked him back, straight into the embrace of the very annoyed owner of the hand— _Septhis_.

"S-Septhis!? When did you get here?"

"Right on time to save your sorry self and after Clymene informed me of your idiocy." The pale man growled. "Of course, you just _had_ to go pick the most dangerous option from your list of creatures to ride on."

"These dragons are nice." Harry managed sheepishly as he whipped out his wand and immediately cast a barrier to hold back the flames coming at them. He then turned to make sure the kids were fine and was relieved to see that they were holding up well enough on their own.

Tom Riddle had acted the very moment the youngest Chinese Fireball had been hit in the eye and drawn up a barrier around himself and Sanguini. The boy only stared at Harry in a deadpan. "I _told_ you these dragons were dangerous."

"Good thing no one's been injured." Clymene, who had suddenly appeared by the side of the boys, huffed before looking down at the new kid who had startled and fallen to his butt the moment the flames shot out. She offered him a hand. "You okay there?"

Sanguini seemed dazed from the abrupt change of circumstances.

"Take him back." Septhis ordered. "I'll handle the fire."

Clymene nodded before disappearing with the vampire, leaving a wake of fluttering grass blades behind.

Septhis then threw a pointed look at Tom before facing Harry, "And you, take your son back to the mansion, lest he ends up in an accident and you spend the rest of your life bemoaning the fact that it was your brilliant idea to go out riding on this fateful day."

"Geez, you don't have to sound so ominous." Harry wrinkled his nose in distaste as he hurriedly pulled his son into his embrace. "You sure you'll hold up on your own?"

The pale man raised a brow, "Is that even a question you should be asking me?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Merlin, you're such a— well, sorry for even caring!"

 _BAM!_

The father and son duo apparated away without further ado, taking down the barrier Harry had set up in the process. This, much to Septhis's irritation, resulted in the pale man being showered with fire from all sides.

Septhis wore a pinched expression as the fires merely bounced off him and cleared away. "A warning would have very much been appreciated." He brushed off the soot that had settled on his shoulders with a sigh as greeted dragons before him with a cold gaze. "Now, which of you decided it would be fun to cut my siesta short?"

* * *

Harry landed none too gently on the marble of the living room, arms tightly wrapped around his little boy who was lucky enough to have him as a cushion.

"Ooof, this wasn't how I planned to land up," Harry groaned before snapping his eyes open to check on the little Dark Lord, "Tommy, are you okay?"

Only to be greeted by a very cold pair of grey eyes staring straight into his, involuntarily causing Harry to flinch.

"We are never going to ride on dragons, _again_." Tom said as he got to his feet. His lips curled to snarl. "Do you know how close _you_ were to dying after standing directly in the path of dragon fire? After telling me to _trust_ you and that it wouldn't be so bad?"

Harry blinked at his son's sudden lash out. "Look, it was an accident —"

"You're going to make an Unbreakable Vow right here and now, pledging that you will never carry out such a dangerous stunt in the entirety of your lifetime."

The green eyed male was stunned because _wait, who— how does he know about Unbreakable Vows and no— I can't really die but—_

Harry burst into a chuckle as he fondly looked at the boy who was _worried_ about him. Who would have thought the little Dark Lord also had this side of him. "Sorry Tom," he apologized to Tom who appeared to be mildly offended at being laughed at, "but I can't make you that Unbreakable Vow. I have a few reasons, don't take it to heart. I can, however, promise to never carry out such a dangerous stunt again."

Tom looked skeptical.

"Really, I promise. No riding on dragons."

"Promises can be broken."

"Uhm," Harry furrowed his brows. He'd expected to get out of this easily but things were not going as planned. _Blame it on his rather intelligent nine year old son_. "They can be broken, but I promise I'll only break them when I really need to."

Was he really bargaining with a child?

Tom raised an unimpressed brow.

"Tommy," Harry sighed, "I won't _die_ on you. This I can swear on my life."

It was now the boy's turn to furrow his brows. "You swear on your life for this, but you can't even make a promise for the other? How is it any different?"

"It's, well, it's complicated." Harry absentmindedly ran his fingers through his hair while wondering if he would ever be able to tell Tom about _everything_. He somehow didn't like always leaving the boy in the dark.

Tom observed him for a moment before releasing a sigh of defeat (the second one that day). "I hope I don't regret this decision," he muttered to himself.

Something that didn't go unheard by Harry who only laughed and pulled him into his warm embrace. "Tommy, look at you. All grown up and mature now," he pressed a rare kiss on the top of the boy's head "…thank you for understanding."

A faint look of contentment brushed across Tom's features, giving him an unusually delicate appearance. He seemed to lean closer into his father's warmth.

"It's nothing."

* * *

Septhis paused in his tracks.

He did a double take before releasing a deep sigh while pinching the bridge of his nose. "Clymene."

The nymph who had taken over the largest comfortable sofa in the Tartarus room (Harry had all the rooms, which Septhis had coincidentally taken over, in the west wing of the mansion named after the Greek underworld) looked up from the wreath she had been weaving with her hands.

"Oh, you have returned." She greeted before shifting her attention back to the task of winding the chrysanthemums together with much care.

"What," Septhis began, voice tight, "no, _why_ is that bloody little creature sleeping on the sofa?"

"Hmm?" She answered distractedly. "Oh, you mean the vampire boy? He's resting."

"I can see that."

There was a pause.

"Well, he was squirming about so much and babbling gibberish. I guess he was in a state of shock or something." Clymene shrugged. "Definitely didn't take the meeting with dragons too well. So I thought it would be better if he stayed quiet."

"And?"

"I put him to sleep."

There was a pause of uncertainty.

"Did you or did you not drug him?"

"I did _not_!" Clymene's head snapped up, horror etched across her features. The audacity of him to even think she would drug a poor child!

"Thank go—"

"All I did was knock him out! How dare you think I would even bring harm upon the boy by feeding him something poisonous!?"

Septhis stared.

" _Merlin!_ "

* * *

 **A/N:**

I'm so glad I've finally finished this chapter. It's been just sitting in my phone for ages! And thank you all for patiently waiting.

Also, a big thank you for the reviews **crankypants16, D C JoKeR H S, storybook thumb, Krysania, Madame Bibliophile, Halfblood huffle, sousie, Malevolent Mind, Gurgaraneth** and **sad** **sabrin**!

And to those of you who have put this up in your favorites and follows as well!

Thank you for the love and support! And yep, like I always say, this work is not slash. Just general. I think I'll put that up in the first chapter as well.

Anyway, thank you for reading!

 **[Edit: 17-02-2019]** what did I do here? I deleted half of the fluff in this, that's what I did. BECAUSE IT DIDN'T FIT. HAH. But I added some other low-key kinda fluff. Did that work tho?

Also, thank you **Gurgaraneth** and **mizzrazz72** for leaving the reviews in the last chap! :')


	8. Chapter 8

**With love, Harry**

* * *

 **Summary:**

In which Harry goes back in time, adopts his arch nemesis and pulls one infamous Dark Lord into his madness somewhere along the way.

"Surprise! Tom, meet your grandfather!"

"Harry. That's Gellert Grindelwald."

"I know. Isn't it exciting!? And he'll be tutoring you to be the greatest Dark Lord ever!"

" _What?"_

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling is the boss of it all.

 **Warning:** Grammar, perhaps?

* * *

 **Eight**

* * *

Harry stood by the window and watched the ruckus below him unfold with a smile.

The New Year had rolled in rather slowly this time around. But Harry didn't seem to mind the absence of the nymphs (courtesy of the snow that lay over the land like a soft blanket); the boys were enough of an entertainment for him.

His son, Harry observed, had become livelier after finally receiving his own wand.

 _Oh_ , _yes_.

It had just been two days ago when Harry was practically dragged all the way to Diagon Alley to purchase a wand for Tom. The boy had clearly been so done with all the years of waiting.

(While Tom did think wandless magic was more conventional, the idea of owning a wand still carried some _magic_ of its own.)

This was one of the first birthdays Harry had ever seen the young Dark Lord so excited for.

Stepping into Ollivander's, Harry had been partially apprehensive because the _Deathstick_ had somehow found a way into his pocket again (it was duly returned later that day, this time with butterscotch cookies and premium _Honeydukes_ chocolate as compensation).

Harry had hoped his wand would refrain from striking up a conversation with the old man _(yes, Ollivander could, in fact, speak to wands)_ , but judging from the strange and mystified look Ollivander had greeted him with, he knew otherwise.

Harry just sighed and gestured to Tom who was standing by his side. "I'm here for my son's wand."

"Ah." Ollivander nodded, summoning his measuring tape as he shuffled out from behind the counter. "Pardon me but I do not recall ever seeing you around here. Are you new to the area?"

"Yes. Fairly new, I guess." Harry replied, voice tight and guarded. Oh how he wished Septhis had tagged along just this one time. "From the Irish lands."

"Nymphs and wood spirits," Ollivander hummed, "that very much explains why my wands have woken up."

 _Well, the old man was as intuitive as ever._

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't really mean to—"

"No, no, you don't have to apologize. They do not mind the occasional visits of one who has been around their kin for a long time." The man laughed as he came over to Tom. "Here, stretch out your wand arm for me. And what is your good name, boy?"

"Tom Marvolo Riddle." Tom replied with a hint of impatience in his tone as he did what he was told.

"Marvolo..." Ollivander hummed to himself with another nod. He turned to face Harry as the measuring tape worked its magic. "And you are?"

"Harry Mortimer." Harry replied.

"Quite an interesting name you have there." The old man mumbled more to him than to the other as he stepped over to one of the shelves stacked with wand boxes. "Out of pure curiosity, Mr. Mortimer, may I know what wand you use?"

Harry hesitated. "I lost it quite some time back. And while I do have other wands as replacements, none of them work as well as my holly did." He shrugged. "After all, _the wand chooses the wizard_."

"That is..." Ollivander paused and turned to him with a faraway look. "That is correct, Mr. Mortimer."

"We did come here for my wand, did we not?" Tom piped in rather uncharacteristically.

Harry laughed and ruffled his son's hair. "Yes, we're here for your wand. Sorry, Tommy."

After a short moment of shuffling about on the wandmaker's part, he seemed to have finally found what he had been looking for.

"Here we go." Ollivander said as he laid out a couple of wand boxes on top of the counter. He picked out a fine looking one out of its box and handed it to the boy. "Let's try this. Elm wood, eleven inches—"

Tom took it into his hand and waved it, only for it to spark in a rather bad reaction.

"—and definitely _not_ meant for you." The wandmaker said as he quickly snatched it back. He muttered to himself. "Not quite right I see...supposed to be the least accidental. Hmm, something with more _dexterity_ perhaps?"

"Don't worry, Tom. You'll find your wand pretty soon." Harry assured on seeing his son's pinched expression.

Ollivander turned back with another wand in his hand. "Vine, ten and a half inches with the core of—"

Tom, however, seemed to have found something else that attracted his attention. "What's this one?" He asked as he approached the counter, hand reaching out for a fairly new looking box.

Ollivander seemed mildly surprised as he peered over the boy's shoulder.

"Oh, I never really thought this one would...hmm, interesting." He placed the other wand away to pick up the one Tom had been attracted to with great care.

"This is a Yew wand, quite rare when it comes to its wood," Ollivander began as he handed it over to the boy, "and unusual when it comes to picking its master. Not to mention— this here, is one of a kind. You see, it has the core of a Phoenix's feather: the _rarest_ of all cores."

Tom Riddle's eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

Somehow, the little Dark Lord just knew that this was _the_ wand.

"Is this new?" Harry asked as he came over to the duo. He could practically feel the excitement crackling in the atmosphere.

"Aye."

The wandmaker nodded, looking misty eyed as he watched on in fascination. The tendrils of the wand's core had risen up as if in a dance to wrap around the wrist of its new master: a sight saved for only those who had practiced the art of wandmaking for many a decade.

"I like this one." Tom declared, blissfully unaware of what was happening.

"And it likes you just as much." Ollivander breathed in awe.

 _So_ , Harry thought, _this is the very moment Tom receives the wand that shared twin cores with mine._

Somehow, everything seemed so surreal to Harry that he couldn't help but watch on in bated breath.

"Well, Mr. Riddle, it is an immense pleasure of mine to tell you that," Ollivander said, "you have found the favor of a great wand, and it has chosen you."

There was a momentary pause.

"Of course it _would_ choose me."

Harry huffed in amusement, his little bubble of climax bursting.

What a _"Tom Riddle"_ like response indeed.

* * *

Somewhere in a dark room, a man stared at the wand in his hand, _his wand_ to be precise as his heterochromatic eyes narrowed in scrutiny.

It had vanished _(again)_ before reappearing by his side with a letter of apology— in which the sender had the audacity to wish him _"a very happy and prosperous Dark Lord like New Year"_ ahead of him.

His fingers drummed against the top of the desk before him where the treats that had come along with the letter were laid out (having already passed the test of not being poisoned or tempered with) alongside his wand and a glass of finely pressed grape wine.

(It was strange how three years had already gone by, and he still had not found the one responsible. It felt as though something, or rather _someone_ was hiding the information he wanted— _craved_ for from him.)

Grindelwald had long since made it a point to always have his original wand on him.

A precaution just in case the one he had become the rightful Master of disappeared in the midst of a battle like it had the very first time before its sudden disappearances became a routine.

It had been alarming, no doubt.

And Grindelwald would admit to having almost brashly trashing the whole Wizarding World to retrieve what was rightfully his.

However, over the course of _three_ _years_ since the pattern had formed, Grindelwald had grudgingly grown used to it; and also drawn a conclusion that perhaps the one responsible for the Elder Wand's disappearances was the _Master of Death_. Or perhaps, Death himself?

It only seemed logical.

 _Though questionable._

There were many contradicting thoughts that lined up against his assumption, of course, but just because there were many didn't mean he was entirely wrong.

He picked up the chocolate bar with a pondering look. "Honeydukes, hmm?"

Well, he thought to himself, at least he had a more definite hint to work with this time.

* * *

"How about Hogwarts?"

"I doubt the school would favor the thought of having a blood sucking vermin loose in its grounds." Tom coolly replied as he stepped into the study where Harry, Septhis and Sanguini were seated.

"You're late." The vampire sneered at the little Dark Lord.

"Did you sleep well, Tommy?" Harry who had been slowly spacing out brightened up on seeing his son. He patted the empty spot next to him. "Here."

"Good morning, Harry." Tom greeted back as he took his seat while pointedly ignoring the other's remark.

"Alright, now that everyone is happy, cheerful, and awake and _finally_ _present_ here," Septhis drawled with an eye roll, "let's get down to business, shall we?"

"I propose Durmstrang." Tom hummed, eyeing the vampire with a slight tilt of his lips. "Since it is as dark as your soul."

"And Hogwarts is as _light_ as yours?" Sanguini scoffed. "If anything, we would have to switch places. _You_ should be the one going to Durmstrang instead—"

"No!" Harry's sudden exclamation (which had startled both the boys) immediately dissolved into a fit of coughs.

He waved his hands as them, gesturing that he was fine and managed to assure them just that in between his coughs, "I. Just. Choked. On. Air."

Septhis pinched the bridge of his nose as he shut his eyes. He murmured to himself. "How subtle."

"Do you need water?" Sanguini offered as he patted Harry's back.

Both the boys were thankfully separated from each other by Harry who sat in between them on the couch. If this had not been the case, Tom would have murdered the vampire rather than shoot him a murderous look.

"I'm fine." Harry managed a laugh as he rubbed off the tears that had gathered in the corners of his eyes. "Thank you."

"I can go fetch a glass for you." Tom said.

Harry shook his head. "Thank you, but let's just finish off with this discussion. Septhis isn't too happy, and we all know how he gets when he's cranky."

Septhis wore a look that said, _'Really?'_

The green eyed male just shrugged.

"We might as well resort to sending the vampire brat to Durmstrang." Septhis began. "Because while Beauxbatons also accepts creatures into its premises, I don't think they would willingly take in a vampire with open arms especially with how the war is taking a turn for the worse."

"And Hogwarts does not accept creatures." Harry wore an apologetic expression as he turned to the young vampire that sat by his side. "Sorry, Sanguini. I really wanted you to be with Tom, but the parents would not favor their children being around a vampire, not that I mean you're bad or anything, you're actually _very_ sweet and nice. I don't really think they would have a problem with someone as _adorable_ as you, but you see—"

"Stay on topic." Septhis clicked his tongue, effectively cutting the other off. " _Harry_."

The green eyed male blinked. "Oh, sorry. I didn't really mean to start—"

"Let's hear from the boy instead," Septhis looked close to simply giving up and walking out the room.

He _hated_ being a mediator.

"Well, if Harry says so, I do not mind going by his decision." Sanguini replied after a pause. "Besides, I wouldn't want Tom being _jealous_ of me for topping all of his classes, really."

(This wasn't entirely false seeing how the two were rather competitive when it came to their studies —Septhis wasn't too pleased at having to teach one more brat— and other activities. But one would have to agree that Tom Marvolo Riddle fared better than the other even though by a slight difference.

As to how Sanguini managed to be almost at par with the prodigious little Dark Lord, the answer would point directly to his obvious training as a vampire noble back home.)

Tom rolled his eyes in response. "Sure."

At that moment, Harry couldn't help but think that his son had perfected the art of "rolling his eyes" from Septhis.

(Septhis, as though reading Harry's thoughts, just looked insulted.)

"And," the pale man put in, "a student without a wand would undoubtedly raise a lot of questions even though we somehow find a way for you to join the school without the students coming to know of your race."

Harry nodded in agreement.

Unlike those vampires who had been turned, the noble and pureblood lines of the race (who were considerably fewer in number) were usually able to wield magic naturally rather than through mediums such as wands.

Much like the nymphs for example.

Speaking of nymphs and wands, Harry's thoughts couldn't help but drift off to two summers ago when Tom had approached him with a rather direct question; one which had completely caught him off guard.

…

 _"Harry, you were never really a nymph, were you?"_

Harry promptly dropped the little pot of cactus he had been tending to with a stuttered, "W-What?"

"In these past few years, I've been _watching_ you." The boy explained as he fixed the broken pot with a wave of his hand. "You've never shown traits similar to your fellow kin, like how the sleep spell during winter doesn't affect you."

Harry blinked at the pot that settled back in his hands looking as good as new.

"And you occasionally use a wand," Tom continued nonchalantly, "while the other nymphs have never needed the assistance of one. In fact, they go so far as to see it as a _hindrance_ ; something like holding an extra limb— absolutely unnecessary."

"But I'm a—" Harry tried bringing in that one excuse that had always seen him through sticky situations such as these.

"Harry, the only beings equivalent to male nymphs are satyrs. And as far as I'm aware," Tom deadpanned, "you _lack_ the characteristics of _a goat_."

"Not all satyrs have to look like a goat!"

Tom Riddle just looked very unimpressed. "Harry, you also lie very much like how a human would when they're caught guilty." He shook his head. "Besides, I've always had this inkling that you weren't a nymph."

Septhis later informed Harry that Tom had confronted him because of Sanguini's words, which he quoted, _"Nymphs don't really have pleasant tasting blood. You'd be a fool if you believed he wasn't human."_

The little Dark Lord drew his own conclusions— _after violently confirming whether or not Sanguini had actually sucked out Harry's blood without his volition, of course._

"Well, uh, I'm not entirely human either." Harry frankly told him with a tired smile.

Tom had paused with an unreadable expression. "You don't have to explain it right now." The boy hesitated before adding. "I will wait for the moment you are willing to tell me."

…

Harry fondly smiled at the memory; Tom was really, really growing up so fast.

An hour later the two boys had dispersed, leaving Harry and Septhis lounging next to each other without the usual air of enmity that came with sharing the couch.

Septhis could detect his Master was in one of those moods that strayed from his usual disposition.

Harry had been spacing out a lot today, resulting in his mind drifting off to the memories of different timelines he'd lived through. He had given Sanguini a light scare as a result when he suddenly began talking to the vampire in _Shakespearean_ _English_ earlier this morning.

Thankfully, Tom had been around to handle situation, having experienced it himself quite a number of times. He had even very patiently explained to Sanguini how Harry would get that way sometimes.

Septhis wondered what had triggered this particular mood after a long while. He shifted, "What are you so muddled up over?"

"Hmm?" Harry shook himself out of his stupor and turned to face Septhis.

"You're spacing out a lot." Septhis pointed out.

"I just..." Harry paused. He took in a deep breath, "Tom will be leaving us soon, like in about eight months, nineteen days, six hours _and_ twenty min—"

Septhis slapped a hand over the other's mouth none too gently.

Harry yelped as he shoved the hand away. "What was that for!?"

"You're activating panic mode."

Harry rubbed his face with an annoyed look. He grumbled. "Does that mean you have to slap me?"

"I simply shut your mouth for you." Septhis calmly folded his legs and replied. "And besides, it's not like that little Dark _Sou_ — Lord will be gone forever."

"But he won't be around for most of the year and for eight consecutive years too!" Harry reminded as he wrinkled his nose. "I don't know; it'll be weird not having him around me as often as in the past few years."

"Wow," Septhis dryly said, "and here I thought you were the one most excited to have him attend Hogwarts."

Harry shut his eyes with an annoyed looked. "You're not getting point here, Septhis."

The other just stared.

"Okay, I do want him to go there because Hogwarts was _his home_ once, and I want him to experience that same love— hey, what's with that expression?"

"Don't mind me, go on."

The green eyed man shot Septhis a suspicious look before carrying on, "Like I was saying, I want him to experience that same love he had for Hogwarts again." He sighed. " _But_ I don't want him to go because— because what if he decides Hogwarts is a better place? And doesn't come home for the winters? And, and…"

Septhis now had a very cynical eyebrow raised at his master's words.

"But of course, why did I even expect you to understand? You've never had a son." Harry said spitefully.

The two lapsed into a moment of silence...

(One which Septhis knew wouldn't last.)

...before Harry opened his mouth, "What _if_ I taught in Hogwarts? Like as some assistant professor or something, you can make that happen can't you? I can have him around me and at the same time, keep an eye on him just so he doesn't, I don't know, decide that Hogwarts is a better home than what I have to offer—"

"Harry, you don't _know_ Tom, do you?" Septhis decided to cut him off right before he could spout out more idiotic ideas.

The green eyed male blinked. "What?"

"Firstly," Septhis cleared his throat as though he was about to start off with a TED talk, "he's _your_ son, and he even acknowledges you as his _father,_ though he doesn't show it as often as one would expect. And secondly, have you never thought about how he would like time apart from you to improve his skills? And impress you with his results? That child you took in has a _lot_ of ambition, and you choosing to butt into his life all the time without giving him any space of his own wouldn't be something he'd appreciate, like it or not. Really, I'm beginning to wonder who the real father is. Your observation skills _appall_ me."

There was another pause before a long drawn, " _Oh"_ as Harry somehow realized a couple of things he had been oblivious to.

"Yes. _Oh_." Septhis rolled his eyes.

However and unfortunately for Septhis who had believed he had done his part of making his master _see_ the obvious truth, he was abruptly thrown back into a state of wanting to facepalm himself.

"Okay, I get your whole point. But, he wouldn't know if I was disguised and still watching over him, would he?"

* * *

 **A/N:**

So, what do of think Harry might do this time? Sit back or take action? :'3

Thank you so much **Gurgaraneth, sousie, D C JoKeR H S, the real narnia** and **Gime'SS** for taking your time to review! :')

And also, I'm very grateful to all those people who put his up in their favorites and follows.

Thank you for reading!

 **[Edit: 21-02-2019]** This process of editing is taking up far more time than I'd expected it to, phew. Two more chapters to get through with the whole editing shizz. And then there will be real chapter updates after I'm through with my mid-semester examinations and an assignment of three hundred words *sigh*

Also, thank you **TheBalladOfMonaLisa, Maester Ta** and **Gurgaraneth** for leaving reviews! Really appreciate it :')


	9. Chapter 9

**With love, Harry**

* * *

 **Summary:**

In which Harry goes back in time, adopts his arch nemesis and pulls one infamous Dark Lord into his madness somewhere along the way.

"Surprise! Tom, meet your grandfather!"

"Harry. That's Gellert Grindelwald."

"I know. Isn't it exciting!? And he'll be tutoring you to be the greatest Dark Lord ever!"

" _What?"_

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling is the boss of it all.

 **Warning:** Grammar, perhaps?

 **A/N:** A chapter in which a very cliché scene ensues.

* * *

 **Nine**

* * *

Tom, with a wave of magic, flicked away the measuring tape that lingered a little too long around his neck.

Undeterred by him, the tape simply drifted downwards to encircle his waist.

A few seconds passed before the tail of the tape tapped on the floating parchment and quill next to it, stirring the items to immediately take down numbers. Tom wore a pinched expression; this whole process was such wastage of time.

Harry had a few items he needed to pick up so he had asked Tom to go ahead and get his measurements done while waiting for him.

 _"I'll be real quick, I promise."_

So here he was now, in Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions; a store, which Tom had discerned, was where students of Hogwarts usually came to for getting their robes fitted.

"Why is he getting special treatment?" A snobbish voice cut through Tom's thoughts. "How come the rest of us have to be attended to by witches while he doesn't need to?"

"Young master Malfoy," the young witch who had been tending to the boy spoke up, "he had specifically requested for the premium service."

(Tom had only repeated what Harry had instructed him to, really.)

"Premium service?" The boy, pale in complexion with light blond hair, asked with a frown. "And my mother did not ask of the same for me?"

"Lady Malfoy did not."

There was a pause before the boy spoke up again. "What family does he come from that he requires a premium service for his school robes?"

"I'm afraid I do not know." The witch replied.

"Hmph."

Tom paid no attention to the other, his only thought being fixed upon when Harry would arrive. So he was mildly amused when he suddenly found the blond boy standing in front of him, arms crossed over his chest and chin held high.

"Young master Malfoy!" The witch who had been tending to him exclaimed in alarm, snatching back the pins that were at risk of poking the young boy's skin.

The boy ignored the witch, his gaze firmly fixed on the dark haired boy before him. "Who are you?"

Tom raised an eyebrow. "Who are _you_?"

"Abraxas Septimus Malfoy." The boy replied in an instant with a sniff. "But surely, you would have already known who I was."

"I know the Malfoys." Tom simply brushed off with an air of disinterest, turning his attention to the measuring tape that had encircled his wrists with delicate care.

 _"But not you."_

The witch attendant who had understood the untold words flinched while the blond boy remained blissfully ignorant.

Abraxas frowned at the nonchalance. He was, after all, used to people fawning over him once they knew who he was.

The bells above the store's door chimed as a customer stepped in. Tom looked up but was disappointed on seeing a noble lady (whose graceful features morphed into a look akin to horror as she registered the scene before her) rather than Harry.

Lady Malfoy gave a light gasp.

Her son, away from the fitting stand; his robes dragging on the floor as he stood poised in front of another boy while the witch attendant was on his heel, trying to coerce him into going back to the fitting stand.

 _This was unbecoming of a Malfoy!_

"Abraxas!"

"Mother." The boy startled as he turned to face the woman who had just stepped in. He turned a shade paler on seeing the dark glint in her eyes; she was angry alright.

"What are you doing?" She asked with a sharp edge to her tone.

"I was," Abraxas began slowly as his mind quickly search for the right words that would not further incur his mother's wrath upon him, "I was wondering why I, a Malfoy, was not assigned to the premium service."

(The change in his mother's expression told him he had very well succeeded in his task. The family name surely did work its magic most of the times.)

The witch attendant looked as though she wanted to shrink into herself and disappear. If an argument were to break out while she was on duty, Madam Malkin would surely have her thrown out!

She stuttered. "W-We can always switch services, Young master Malfoy."

"You're only fitting for your school robes." Lady Malfoy cut the witch off, a frown adorning her features.

"Indeed, mother." He nodded in reply before gesturing to the dark haired boy behind him. "And so is this boy. But in premium service." Abraxas continued after a slight pause for a more dramatic effect. "And I doubt he is as well known of a pureblood as the Malfoys."

Abraxas's underlying message got through to everyone present in the store.

 _Why him and not me?_

Tom's lips quirked up in a smirk.

It was amusing how the boy before Tom had actually acknowledged him as a pureblood without even confirming his status.

Well, Tom Riddle did exude the aura of an aristocrat in the first place.

What left an impression on Tom, however, was how the Malfoy boy not only diverted his mother's attention but also very likely scored himself a premium service treatment after indirectly pressuring his mother.

It was smart and unlike a response most children of his age were likely to come up with.

 _Well played_ , Tom thought.

"You said we could switch services?" Lady Malfoy turned to face the witch attendant.

The witch furtively nodded her head. "It can be arranged for immediately."

"Please do so," Lady Malfoy said, "and may I have a word with Madam Malkin?"

"I will call for the madam." The witch replied as she hurriedly went over to the counter and pressed the head of the raven statue placed on it. The sound of a faint bell could be heard ringing from somewhere deep within the shop. "She will be here in an instant. Please, have a seat my Lady."

At the request, one of the chairs that were placed in the corner drifted over and settled itself behind Lady Malfoy. The lady gave a small nod before seating herself down.

"Young master Malfoy," the witch attendant gestured to the fitting stand that magically laid itself out next to Tom's, "please."

Abraxas shed the outer robe that had been in the midst of being fitted and got up the platform. He wore a look of satisfaction as the magical equipment set off to work in an instant.

He turned to Tom who seemed to be almost through with his fitting. "You never told me your name."

"Tom Marvolo Riddle." The dark haired boy replied as he watched the other from the corner of his eyes, waiting to gouge his reaction.

The blond boy's mouth slightly fell open in surprise before he quickly shut it. He cleared his throat. "Oh, that...that is not a very—"

"Pureblood name?"

Abraxas wore a pinched expression as he wondered how to go about with the conversation. "Yes."

"It isn't." Tom simply replied, seeming unbothered.

Abraxas eyebrows furrowed. "Are you perhaps a half-blood then? Not that I mean to be rude—"

"And if I were to be a _mudblood_?"

The blond boy stiffened and Tom's eyes shone like that of a predator.

Malfoy was, however, saved from answering when the door was suddenly thrown open as someone rushed in. "Oh, Tommy, I didn't mean to delay but issues kept on popping up one after the other. I hate the bank sometimes, nice goblins or not."

Abraxas soon found his attention fixed on to the newcomer who looked as though he'd flown through a storm on a broomstick what his raven black hair all tousled about. The Malfoy couldn't help but appreciate the man's startling green eyes as he observed him.

"The bank?" Tom raised a brow.

"I had some paperwork to attend to." The man sighed. He paused, seeming to belatedly realize that he wasn't the only customer aside from Tom and the attendants present.

"I'm done." Tom said as he stepped down from the fitting platform. "Will we be heading back home now?"

 _Home?_ Abraxas's eyes widened. _Could this young man be his father!?_

"My, my, don't be so impatient." The man chuckled as he affectionately ruffled Tom's hair. "You're almost like Septhis with that attitude. Hold on, I need to give a few more instructions with regard to your robes."

"Mister Mortimer," Madam Malkin who had just stepped out from the backroom wore a bright smile as she greeted the man, "it's good to see that you're doing well."

"Why the formalities Margareta, I've always asked you to call me Harry." The man beamed at her.

"You're a prized customer of mine; it would be impolite of me to address you so casually." She replied then gestured one of the free seats. "Why don't you have a seat for now? I have to attend to Lady Malfoy first."

"Malfoy?" Harry's eyes widened as he turned around to face the noble lady who had been sitting on a chair behind him this whole time. "Ah," he brought a hand up to cover his mouth, "forgive me for being so rude. I was simply surprised to— that— well, I never expected that I would be meet one of the _Sacred Twenty Eight_ I've heard so much about anytime soon."

Lady Malfoy rose from her seat, a well-practiced smile on her face. "Ah, and you must be _the_ Harry Mortimer much talked about in Diagon Alley." She offered her hand. "I am Rachelle Adeline Malfoy."

" _Much_ talked about?" Harry perked an eyebrow as he took her hand. "Yes, I am Harry Mortimer; no fancy middle name, sorry."

"I think it was a year ago, a day before Yule, when all the well-known eatery establishments in the whole street had temporarily closed," Lady Malfoy supplied, "because one _Harry Mortimer_ had hired the entire staff to cook up a grand feast."

Abraxas snapped his head to look at Tom on hearing a muttered, "I did tell him that inviting the giants for dinner was a terrible idea."

"Giants?" Abraxas echoed.

Tom just raised a brow at him with an unimpressed expression.

"Sorry," Abraxas turned his head away, feeling a little irked.

"Ah, _that_ Yule." Harry laughed nervously. "Well, Yule is a very good time to feast, though I _might_ have gone a little too overboard that one time."

"Did you host the feast with other families?" Lady Malfoy asked, curious because hiring staff of nineteen different high-classed diners was not something easy on one's finance.

"No." Harry laughed. "It was just my family. I tend to be very extravagant sometimes."

"I did hear the Mortimer's are a rather old pureblood line from the regions of Ireland that do not fall under the British Wizarding World." Lady Malfoy nodded, as though her doubts with regard to the other's wealth had been cleared. "Have you resettled in Britain just recently?"

"Not really." Harry replied. "We just stick around for my son; he'll be attending Hogwarts this year."

"Oh," Lady Malfoy looked mildly surprised, "so is my son."

"Your son?" Harry turned, actually taking in the appearance of the boy next to Tom this time.

"Abraxas Septimus Malfoy." Abraxas greeted him.

 _Merlin, that's Lucius and Draco, merged together as one!_

Harry was still in a daze before Tom elbowed him. "Huh? Oh, yeah, sorry, I just remembered something— ah, right, Abraxas Septimus Malfoy!"

"It is great pleasure to make an acquaintance of you, Mister Mortimer."

Harry beamed. "What a sweet boy," he said, "will you be attending Hogwarts this year too?"

Abraxas gave a nod, feeling rather taken aback at the sudden burst of fondness. "Yes."

"So is my son, Tommy, here." Harry brightened while said son looked almost _pained_. "Please take care of him during your stay at Hogwarts. You see, he's still not well accustomed to your wizarding world."

"Ah," Abraxas seemed at a loss of words.

"Of course," Lady Malfoy replied on behalf of her son, "Abraxas would do well with a friend his age. All the children he is acquainted to are either a year above him or younger."

"I can promise you that Tom will take equally good care of him." Harry seemed delighted. He turned to his son. "Look Tom, Papa's got you a new friend! Isn't this exciting?"

Tom simply shot him a deadpan look. "Very."

 _Oh Merlin._

* * *

"No, Harry." Sanguini shook his head. "They don't allow guardians to drop off their wards up to the dorms. But like I said, I'll be fine."

"Septhis and I can go in with you, they wouldn't even know—"

"If this is how you're reacting with this brat leaving, I don't want know how much drama you're going to stir up when Tom leaves," Septhis made a rather abrupt appearance behind Harry, smacking the male's head as he did, "in two days' time."

"But this is no joking matter!" Harry spluttered as he nursed the back of his head. "He's going to be walking into a _den_ filled with stone-faced, fur wearing military like men!"

"There are also females—"

"Who, I will have you know, will be very much the _same_."

"Do you have something against Durmstrang, Harry?" Clymene laughed as she entered the room.

"No." He huffed as he eyed her arms. "Well, not really."

In her arms was a special hand woven fur collared cloak make of the softest material the elves generously provided for. "It took me a little longer than expected, but I finally managed to get it done." She smiled fondly as she draped the cloak over the young vampire's shoulders. "Look at how perfectly it fits him!"

Harry's worries were momentarily forgotten about as he gasped in delight and placed his hands on Sanguini's sides. "You've grown to be very handsome." He told the boy with all sincerity. "And you look very much the part of a noble vampire, the best your race could ever bring forth."

"Thank you, Harry." Sanguini preened at the praise.

"Where's _Tommy_ anyway?" Clymene asked, tearing her eyes away from the rather adorable scene before her as she turned to Septhis.

"In his bedroom." The pale man replied. "Or perhaps even the library."

"I hope he doesn't skip the part of seeing Sanguini off." She hummed. "That would make Harry unhappy."

"Is this your attempt at subtly asking me to go fetch the boy?" Septhis asked with his tone laced in irritation.

"No, Septhis." Clymene felt her eyebrow twitch. "This is my attempt at trying to hold a conversation with you but seeing how grumpy you are today, I apologize for even trying."

The pale man rolled his eyes.

He wasn't grumpy; he had just woken up on the wrong side of the bed no thanks to Harry's mindless worry being the first thing he had to hear this morning.

"Where's Tom?" Harry suddenly asked, his question jolting both Clymene and Septhis from the beginnings of another banter.

" _See_." Clymene whispered almost harshly at the pale man.

As if on cue, the doors to the living room opened and in strode the little Dark Lord. "You called for me?" The boy coolly asked.

"Were you reading in the library again?" Harry's lips quirked up in a smile as he greeted his son.

Tom nodded.

"I didn't think you would come." Sanguini greeted him, a trace of suspicion in his dark eyes.

Tom scoffed. "And have you whining over it for the rest of your life? I'm doing this as a favor for myself." The boy then paused, seeming a little hesitant before shoving something into the vampire's hands. "Here."

The vampire was not the only one surprised by Tom's sudden generosity; even Septhis who usually chose to remain aloof to their interactions (he stopped giving a fuck after the seventh time they _blew up_ the dueling room) seemed intrigued if the way he inconspicuously craned his neck to eye the _gift_ was anything to go by.

Harry gave a gasp of pleasant surprise. "You got him a present!"

His son bristled at his words. "It's not really a present." He denied.

(Septhis's expression darkened when he recognized the tome Tom had just gifted the young vampire— one that was of very alarming and questionable content, straight from Tom's personal collection, of course.)

"T-Thank you." Sanguini still seemed stunned.

"No need to thank me." Tom replied before leaning in so that his next words would only be heard by the vampire. "This is just to make sure you do not sully Harry's name."

The warmth in Sanguini's eyes still remained even though he straightened up and put on a cold front. He sneered. "Why, I should be the one reminding you of it instead."

Tom only smirked.

"Ah, right," Sanguini paused as he removed the silver chain bracelet he always wore round his wrist. He handed it over to the taller boy with a pleasant smile. "It melts the skin of anyone who tries to harm you— and can go even to the extent of burning any wretched brat's hand right off. But just make sure you don't get caught in the act of doing so. The last thing we'd need is having you being expelled from Hogwarts."

"Does the term _'wretched brat'_ apply to you as well?"

" _Thankfully,_ not. This was forged for my family's use."

"A shame." Tom said as he accepted the chain which magically slid to wrap itself round his wrist when he did. His eyes bore a dark and interested glint that betrayed his nonchalant manner. "But convenient anyway, thank you."

Harry was inwardly relieved. Septhis had once told him the two weren't always in the best of terms with each other, so he had been worried when Tom hadn't shown up. But it seemed that they somehow got along in their own way. _At least._

Well, anything was better than nothing.

"What time does the portkey activate?" Tom asked.

"At noon—" Harry startled from his sweet reverie when he realized he wasn't keeping track of the time.

"Just three minutes left." Septhis intervened before the green eyed male could lose his shit again.

"I wouldn't be able to tag along. I never favored travel by portkeys." Clymene apologized. She pulled the young vampire into a deep hug (the two of them had grown somewhat attached over the past year; Tom called it a _"creature thing"_ ). "You take care, _parvulus*_."

 _(*parvulus: little one, in Latin)_

"You should know I never even had the intention of coming along in the first place." Tom bluntly said. He met Sanguini's eyes with all seriousness. "Remember not to be a disgrace."

"Of course," was all he replied as he took a step towards Harry and deliberately took his time to slowly wrap his fingers around the green eyed male's hand. All while wearing a smug smile. "See you during the winter."

Septhis gripped Harry's arm with one hand and the portkey (the Durmstrang crest) on the other. He gave a nod to the little Dark Lord and the nymph. "We'll be back soon."

(Which translated to Septhis-speak for, "Just because I won't be around to keep an eye on you doesn't mean you can go ahead and cause a ruckus.")

"Tommy, remember not to get too absorbed with your readings and please eat on time!" Harry hurriedly gushed out his share of instruction. "And also, keep in mind that I—"

"Time's up." Septhis drawled.

 _BANG!_

The three were gone in a bright flash.

* * *

 **A/N:** Next chapter update will be earlier that all of my other updates, this much I can assure you, lol. Also, Mr. Grindelwald makes an appearance again.

Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews, **Gurgaraneth, Atemptingtowrite, Madame Bibliophile, Roostertheking, SuperApplePie, D C JoKeR H S, Yana5, CeciliaP, Krysania, THE Crazy person** and **ninjaaa0006** ; and to all who put this fic up in your favorites and follow lists! :')

Thank you for reading! :')

 **[Edit: 22-02-2019]** just one more chapter to edit *dry wheezing*, yay me. My friend called out on me for not keeping to what I promise, you know, the whole _**updates everyday**_ /hides behind a brick wall. WELL, I'M SORRY.

And thank you for reading/giving this a try! ^^

Also, thank you **sousie, Gurgaraneth** and **LadyDayri** for leaving reviews in the prev chap! :')


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